In brief
Trump and Lula's call marked a thaw in relations, with discussions centered on reducing US tariffs on Brazilian imports. The leaders expressed optimism for future cooperation and invited each other to upcoming international events. Lula aims to restore trade ties that have been strained since tariffs were raised due to political tensions.
President Donald Trump and his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, have had a call described by both sides as friendly and positive as Brazil seeks to reduce a 50% US tariff on imports. In Monday's video chat, Lula asked Trump to remove most of the duties. Trump stated on social media they had a very good telephone call. This was their first formal conversation since a brief encounter at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month. Relations had been icy since Trump raised tariffs this summer to 50% on some Brazilian goods in response to the coup-plot trial of Lula's predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro.Despite previous tensions, Lula accused Trump of foreign interference and behaving like an emperor. However, during their recent call, the Brazilian government reported a half-hour discussion in a friendly tone, recalling their good chemistry in New York. Lula emphasized the importance of restoring friendly relations between the two countries, noting that the US had a trade surplus with Brazil. He proposed reducing tariffs to their original 10% and discussed the removal of sanctions on certain Brazilian officials.Trump highlighted that their conversation primarily focused on economic and trade relations. He expressed intentions for further discussions and meetings in both Brazil and the United States, while Brazilian Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin viewed the call as better than expected.Lula has invited Trump to the upcoming UN climate summit in Belém, Brazil, and suggested potential meetings during the Asean summit in Malaysia. Trump has appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to lead negotiations with Brazil's officials regarding the tariff issues. However, there are mixed feelings in the Brazilian government regarding Rubio's role, as some officials would prefer different negotiators.
