President Trump and MAGA-world influencers are echoing Brazilian presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro's claims of a rigged election after the Trump-aligned populist fell to the incumbent president in Sunday's election.
The big picture: President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's runoff victory has been widely seen as a counterweight to the global right's surge in Latin America. But Bolsonaro, like his father, isn't accepting defeat.
What they're saying: "It looked like another rigged election, frankly," Trump told reporters Monday.
- He added, "Elections have to be indisputable, and it looked very bad to me."
- The White House referred Axios to Trump's comments when asked to respond.
Friction point: Bolsonaro told reporters it was "impossible to recognize the result of this election in the context of how these things have happened," according to a translation. He also vowed to ask for the results to be annulled.
- Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin's two-hour extension to Sunday's voting has fueled Bolsonaro's claims. Zanin previously served as Lula's lawyer.
- But both Bolsonaro and Lula's camps requested more time for voters. Lula's team requested the extension because of public transit issues, while Bolsonaro sought additional time in certain states because of weather, Bloomberg reported.
- The extension was reportedly given as many polling stations were already wrapping up. Multiple outlets noted that the decision risked setting the stage for candidates to dispute the results, despite Brazil's voting system being widely recognized for its reliability.
Zoom out: Several prominent voices in the online MAGA movement backed Bolsonaro's refusal to accept the election results, and some urged the Trump administration to act.
- "The math just ain't mathin'," podcaster Benny Johnson said in a Monday edition of his show where he criticized the election results. He was joined by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who argued Brazil looked like "a banana republic."
- Former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon urged the administration to sever ties with Brazil on his "War Room" show, adding, "if we don't take action ... it's happening next Tuesday here in this country."
- Jack Posobiec echoed Bannon's unfounded claims, writing on X, "Look at what the Left is doing in Brazil in broad daylight. Do you really think they wouldn't in the United States?"
- Andrew Kolvet, who produced "The Charlie Kirk Show," said the U.S. should "quietly pressure them behind the scenes" and not accept the result. He further urged Bolsonaro supporters not to show up for work and "rally in the streets."
What we're watching: The attention on Bolsonaro's loss comes as MAGA activists have pushed for Trump to take extraordinary measures, like martial law, if they think the U.S. election is rigged, Axios' Brittany Gibson reports.
- Trump has continued to stoke the coals of election denialism, while political opponents have accused his administration of trying to intimidate voters and election officials.
- Meanwhile, the Justice Department has waged an aggressive pre-election offensive, including a preemptive request that could delay certification of Alaska's Senate results and a lawsuit against California over alleged suspected noncitizens receiving ballots.
Go deeper: Trump allies fall in two elections as Netanyahu faces next test
