Sao Paulo, Brazil – Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and US President Donald Trump met at the White House yesterday.
The meeting lasted about three hours and was attended by the Brazilian Minister, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and trade representatives.
The two leaders reported that the meeting had been productive, although they have disagreed on a range of issues from tariffs to extradition since Trump took office last year.
In an article posted on Truth Social that day, President Trump wrote, “I just finished meeting with the very dynamic Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.” “We discussed many topics, including trade, especially tariffs. The meeting went very well.”
Representatives from both countries are scheduled to meet to discuss other topics that have not yet been made public. The Republican president said other meetings would be held in the coming months as needed.
Lula gave further details at a press conference broadcast online after the meeting.
According to the South American president, he proposed creating a working group for representatives of both countries to discuss trade differences over the next 30 days.
As is the case for many countries, Brazil has been in the crosshairs of Trump’s aggressive trade policies for most of the past year.
The United States imposed a 40% tariff on Brazilian imports in July 2025. After months of negotiations, the White House rolled back the tariffs in November, keeping the tax at just 10%.
The Brazilian government aims to eliminate remaining tariffs and discuss the investigation launched by the Americans regarding Pix (an instant payment method created by Brazil’s central bank). The investigation was launched because of Section 301, a provision of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974 that allows the U.S. government to investigate and retaliate against countries that adopt trade practices it deems unfair.
Additionally, Lula left a comment about the meeting between the two through social media. The Brazilians left the meeting with the recognition that important steps had been taken between the two countries, and said that in addition to tariffs, Brazil was ready to discuss the fight against trafficking in primary minerals, organized crime, drugs and weapons.
“We have no veto or off-limits topics. The only thing we will not give up is democracy and sovereignty,” Lula concluded.
Featured Image: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump meet at the White House on May 6, 2026.
Image credit: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva via X.
