In a notable phone conversation, former President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva connected for a call described as both friendly and positive. The discussion comes as Brazil aims to address the significant 50% US tariff imposed on some of its imports.
During the video call, President Lula made a direct request to President Trump to lower these tariffs. Following the conversation, President Trump shared on social media that it was a “very good telephone call.” This marks the first formal interaction between the two leaders since their brief meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month.
Tensions had been high since the summer when President Trump increased tariffs on Brazilian goods, citing the coup-plot trial of Lula’s predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. Previously, President Lula had criticized President Trump’s actions, describing them as foreign interference and comparing him to an “emperor.”
However, the tone of Monday’s discussion was different. The Brazilian government reported a “friendly tone” during the 30-minute call, with both leaders reminiscing about the positive chemistry they experienced in New York. President Lula characterized the meeting as a vital step towards “restoring” friendly relations between the world’s two largest democracies, emphasizing Brazil’s trade surplus with the US.
President Lula requested a reduction in tariffs to their original 10% and the removal of sanctions on certain Brazilian officials. The leaders also exchanged phone numbers to maintain direct communication.
President Trump commented on his Truth Social platform, stating that the call primarily focused on economic and trade relations between the two nations. He expressed an intention for further discussions and future meetings in both Brazil and the United States.
Brazilian Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin described the call as “better than expected” and conveyed optimism regarding the ongoing discussions between the two countries. President Lula extended an invitation to President Trump for the upcoming UN climate summit in Belém, Brazil, and suggested potential meetings during the Asean summit in Malaysia, also offering to visit the US.
President Trump has appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to lead negotiations on these matters with Brazil’s vice-president, foreign minister, and finance minister. A source close to President Lula indicated that the appointment of Rubio was still under review by Vice-President Alckmin’s team, acknowledging Rubio’s alignment with the more ideological faction of the Trump administration. Nevertheless, the source suggested that having a negotiator directly connected to the President would facilitate communication.