President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva held a lengthy, closed-door meeting at the White House on Thursday, but a planned joint media availability in the Oval Office was abruptly canceled without explanation.
Meeting Details
The Brazilian leader, known simply as Lula, arrived at the White House at 11:00 am for what was scheduled to be a private meeting, a working lunch, and an Oval Office photo opportunity with Trump. He and his delegation departed approximately three hours later, with no official reason given for the cancellation of the media event.
Lula's Remarks
Speaking later at the Brazilian embassy, Lula told reporters he left the session "very satisfied" and described it as an "important meeting for both countries." He also stated that Brazil is open to sharing its critical mineral potential with interested investors and expressed doubt that Trump would have any impact on Brazil's upcoming September election, in which Lula faces Flavio Bolsonaro, son of his jailed predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.
Trump's Response
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the meeting went "very well" and called the 80-year-old Brazilian leader "very dynamic." He wrote: "We discussed many topics, including Trade and, specifically, Tariffs ... Our Representatives are scheduled to get together to discuss certain key elements. Additional meetings will be scheduled over the coming months, as necessary."
Background
Lula's visit—his sixth overall but first during any of Trump's non-consecutive terms—was initially planned for March but postponed due to the U.S.-Iran war launched by Trump in late February. Lula has repeatedly criticized the war, calling it "madness" and stating that Trump "has no right to wake up in the morning and threaten a country."
A White House official had said the leaders would discuss "economic and security matters of shared importance." The meeting came nine months after their first encounter backstage at the U.N. General Assembly, where they spoke briefly. Despite Lula's earlier preference for Trump's Democratic opponent Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. election, the two leaders have since developed a cordial relationship, with Trump praising their "great chemistry."
Trade Tensions
Despite the apparent rapport, Trump has imposed significant tariffs on Brazilian imports in retaliation for Brazil's own tariffs and what he termed "unfair trade practices," with exceptions for key goods like coffee, orange juice, and meat. In a July 2025 letter, Trump explicitly tied the tariffs to Lula's government's prosecution of Bolsonaro, though he lifted most after their October 2025 meeting.
Brazilian Finance Minister Dario Durigan expressed "very positive" expectations for the meeting, which was also expected to focus on joint efforts to fight organized crime. Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin told GloboNews that the goal was to demonstrate that "Brazil is not a problem for the United States" and to build a "win-win" relationship.
