Former President Jair Bolsonaro’s son is struggling to recover from the scandal that rocked his presidential campaign.
Published May 27, 2026
Brazilian Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro has shared a photo that appears to show him meeting US President Donald Trump at the White House in a bid to boost his image amid a scandal that threatens to derail his presidential campaign in Brazil.
Mr. Bolsonaro on Tuesday shared a photo of himself standing beside Mr. Trump in the Oval Office with a caption of a thumbs up emoji.
Recommended stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Flavio is the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a right-wing ally of President Trump. Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year sentence for a coup attempt after losing re-election in 2022 to current left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The younger Bolsonaro has replaced his father as the standard-bearer for Brazil’s political right and is seen as the front-runner to challenge Lula in the South American country’s elections in October.
But his campaign is struggling to restore balance following reports that he sought funding for a film about his father from a disgraced banker convicted of fraud. Mr. Bolsonaro acknowledged soliciting the funds but denied any wrongdoing or wrongdoing.
Recent polls have suggested that the scandal has caused a setback for his campaign, with Lula regaining the lead from the younger Bolsonaro after a close race in previous polls.
Media reports in recent days have said Bolsonaro has sought talks with Trump, who previously imposed tariffs on Brazil to dismiss a lawsuit against Bolsonaro.
Mr. Flavio then headed to Washington without any commitments, hoping to meet with the U.S. president. President Trump has not yet shared information about the meeting on his social media websites.
Although tensions persist between Trump and Lula, the two leaders have developed warmer relations in recent months, with the Brazilian leader visiting the U.S. president at the White House earlier this month.
