Trump offers $1 million for voter fraud reports, claims Brazil election looked rigged

US President Donald Trump on Monday questioned the legitimacy of Brazil’s presidential election, claiming it “looked like another rigged election” after leftist incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defeated right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro. Trump made the remarks without providing any evidence of electoral fraud.In a separate post on Truth Social, Trump announced a $1 million reward for information about alleged voter fraud in past elections or the upcoming 2026 US midterm elections, saying the money would be paid following the arrest and conviction of those responsible.“Anybody reporting Voter Fraud in the past Elections, or the upcoming 2026 Midterm Election, will be paid $1,000,000 upon the arrest and conviction of those that created the Fraud! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote.Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, refused to concede defeat in Sunday’s election and said he would seek the annulment of Lula’s victory. He questioned the Supreme Court’s decision to extend voting by two hours. “I didn’t take sides, but it looked like another rigged election,” Trump told reporters. “It looked very bad to me.”BREAKING: Trump on Brazilian elections: It looked terrible to me. It looked like another rigged election, frankly. I didn't take sides, but it was a terrible look. https://t.co/vRrk26lyzM— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 26, 2026Trump had not publicly endorsed Flavio Bolsonaro before the vote, although Reuters previously reported that officials from his State Department had led a campaign to bring the Bolsonaro family back to power. Lula defeated Flavio Bolsonaro by more than four million votes. An analysis of electoral records by Insper professor Pedro Burgos found that fewer than 35,000 votes, or around 0.03% of the total, were cast during the additional two hours of voting ordered by the Supreme Court.“I just think it had a very bad look, the election, the way it was tabulated,” Trump said, describing the extension as “very strange”.Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin defended the country’s electoral system, calling Trump’s remarks “totally wrong” and “unfounded” in a television interview with Rede Vanguarda.Neither Trump nor Jair Bolsonaro accepted their respective election defeats in 2020 and 2022. Brazil’s former president was sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup after losing to Lula.Flavio Bolsonaro also said on Monday that he would comply with a federal police order to surrender his passports after visiting his father, who is under house arrest. He denied planning to flee Brazil.MARKETS REACT TO LULA’S VICTORYLula’s election victory drew congratulations from world leaders but unsettled investors who had been betting on a Bolsonaro win.Brazil’s real fell 8.1% against the US dollar, marking its biggest single-day decline since 2002. The country’s stock exchange also recorded its steepest one-day fall since 2020.“The initial selloff could moderate as election-related positions are unwound, but investors will demand convincing fiscal commitments before rebuilding exposure,” said Andres Abadia, chief Latin America economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.LULA DEFIES EXPECTATIONSLula’s victory defied opinion polls and a broader trend of anti-incumbent sentiment, interrupting a series of right-wing electoral gains across Latin America. He had trailed Bolsonaro in the first round but secured enough support to win the runoff.Pollsters attributed his victory partly to higher-than-expected voter turnout and an improved social media campaign.During the campaign, Lula highlighted his record on reducing poverty and inequality, as well as low unemployment, illiteracy and deforestation. However, his fourth presidential term is expected to face significant legislative challenges.Congress has shifted further to the right following gains by conservative candidates in the first round of the general election. The presence of Bolsonaro allies in the legislature could complicate Lula’s efforts to advance his policy agenda.- Ends