Trump and Lula da Silva seek to rebuild relationship after Bolsonaro trial tensions

The U.S. president, Donald Trump, and his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, held a 30-minute video conference Monday, marking their first meaningful conversation since Washington imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods this summer.

The call, described as "positive" by Brazil's Finance Minister Fernando Haddad, according to the official press release from Brazil and as a "very good phone call" by Trump on his Truth Social platform, reflects an attempt to reduce tensions between the two countries.

During the conversation, the leaders addressed issues such as the economy and trade, and expressed interest in meeting soon in person, either in Brazil or in the United States.

They also exchanged phone numbers, according to the release from Lula's office, in an effort to maintain a direct communication channel. Trump stressed in his release that both countries “will do very well together!” showing optimism about the future of the bilateral relationship.

This rapprochement follows a brief meeting between the two leaders almost two weeks ago at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. However, relations between Washington and Brasilia have been marked by recent friction.

The tariffs and sanctions imposed by the United States originated in response to what Trump considered unfair treatment toward Brazilian ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, a close political ally. Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison last month for his role in a 2023 insurrection attempt against the Lula government.

In that regard, the Republican leader compared the judicial process against Bolsonaro to his own legal challenges following the January 6, 2021 insurrection in the Capitol. For his part, Lula has criticized Trump's attempts to intervene in Brazil's internal affairs, something that has generated additional tension.