Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro warned that American journalist Glenn Greenwald may "do jail time in Brazil" over the publication of private phone conversations involving Justice Minister Sergio Moro, according to The Associated Press.

The comments by the Cabinet member — published by The Intercept, which Greenwald co-founded — have raised questions about whether he conspired to keep Bolsonaro opponent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva out of the 2018 presidential election.

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Moro announced last week that four people were arrested for allegedly hacking phones that he says were used as the source of the chats leaked to Greenwald and The Intercept.

Bolsonaro called Greenwald "a trickster" but said he would not be part of a decree issued by Moro last week calling for the deportation of foreigners considered to be dangerous.

"Trickster, trickster, to avoid such a problem, he marries another trickster and adopts a child in Brazil," Bolsonaro said.

Greenwald lives in Rio de Janeiro with his husband, a Brazilian national, and their two adopted children.

"That is the problem we have. He will not leave. Maybe he will do jail time in Brazil, but he won't be kicked out," he added.

Greenwald responded to Bolsonaro on Twitter, calling him a "wanna-be dictator" who has no authority to kick him out of the country.