Trump says Brazil election looked 'rigged' without citing evidence

US President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday, without citing evidence, that Brazil’s presidential election looked rigged, Reuters reported (https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-says-without-citing-evidence-that-brazil-election-looks-rigged-2026-10-26/).

“I didn’t take sides, but it looked like another rigged election,” Trump said. “Elections have to be indisputable, and it looked very bad to me.”

The remarks came after leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won Sunday’s presidential runoff. Defeated right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has refused to concede defeat, Reuters reported.

Bolsonaro’s father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, was a close ally of Trump while in office.

Lula, 80, secured an unprecedented fourth presidential term, winning Sunday’s runoff after finishing second in the first round. Bolsonaro has announced plans to challenge the result, alleging irregularities linked to an extension of voting hours, according to reports of his remarks.

A wave of recent right-wing election victories in other Latin American countries has been heralded by Trump’s administration, Reuters noted.

Trump offered no evidence for the claim, Reuters said. NDTV also reported Trump’s remarks about the election.