politics
Trump and Lula Meet at White House to Discuss Trade, Tariffs and Organized Crime
President Trump hosted Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the White House on Thursday for talks focused on trade, tariffs and security. The leaders skipped a planned joint appearance before reporters. Trump described the meeting as going very well and said representatives from both sides will hold follow-up discussions.
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President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met at the White House on Thursday to discuss trade, tariffs and fighting organized crime. The two leaders did not hold a planned joint appearance before journalists. Videos posted online showed them greeting each other on the South Lawn.
Trump provided the only official public statement, posting on Truth Social that he had “just concluded my meeting with Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the very dynamic President of Brazil.
According to the post, representatives from both sides are scheduled to meet on key elements with additional talks planned over coming months. Lula arrived in the late morning for the bilateral session. The Brazilian press corps left the White House nearly two hours after his arrival. The meeting had originally been open to the White House press pool and Brazilian media.
Trump and Lula last met in Malaysia in October. In July of last year Trump imposed a 50 percent tariff on Brazil in part over the prosecution of the country’s former right-wing president, a Trump ally. Lula responded in a September opinion piece in the New York Times calling the tariffs illogical and misguided.
Trump later lifted tariffs on Brazilian food products including coffee and beef late last year. In February the U.S. Supreme Court struck down global tariffs imposed under a national emergencies law, eliminating many remaining levies. Brazilian products still face an extra 10 percent tariff due to expire in July.
Brazilian officials have expressed worries about potential new tariffs linked to a Section 301 investigation into unfair trade practices. Tensions also persist over digital trade. Brazil has blocked renewal of a World Trade Organization e-commerce tariff moratorium and maintains high tariffs on goods including ethanol.
The U.S. Trade Representative alleged last month that nearly half of Brazil’s timber exports come from illegal sources, which the Lula administration denies.
