Trump-appointed ambassador to Brazil resigns after 14 months

The U.S. ambassador to Brazil, Todd Chapman, has resigned after just over a year in the position and is leaving the diplomatic service

RIO DE JANEIRO -- The U.S. ambassador known for friendly ties with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has tendered his resignation after just over a year in the position and is leaving the diplomatic service, he said in a statement on Thursday. Ambassador Todd Chapman said that he wrote to President Joe Biden on Wednesday to inform him of his decision, and that he would be moving to Denver to be near his children and pursue other professional opportunities. His appointment in Oct. 2019 came as Bolsonaro was projecting ideological alignment with the U.S. and then-President Donald Trump. After Chapman's arrival in the capital, Brasilia, in March 2020, he quickly made headlines by cozying up to Bolsonaro's administration, particularly by hosting the president at a July 4 barbecue at his residence in the midst of the pandemic. Photos showed him wearing a cowboy hat and no mask, leaning in to hug Bolsonaro and posing with him and top aides.