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Presidents conclude meeting with public compliments
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump concluded their White House meeting on Thursday with mutual praise, though the absence of a joint press appearance hinted at unresolved tensions. Trump described the talks as "very good" on Truth Social, calling Lula "dynamic," while Lula told reporters he left the meeting "very satisfied."
Trade and crime remain key sticking points
Despite the cordial tone, the two leaders acknowledged persistent disagreements. Lula noted sharp differences on trade, particularly over tariffs, revealing that Trump had criticized Brazil's tax policies. "He always thinks we charge too much tax," Lula said, adding that Brazil proposed a 30-day working group to resolve disputes. "Whoever is wrong will give in. If we have to give in, we will. If you have to give in, then you will have to give in."
Organized crime and U.S. foreign policy also strained discussions. Washington and Brasília have clashed over the U.S. approach to Iran and allegations of American interference in Brazil's upcoming October elections. Additionally, Trump urged Lula to drop charges against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison last year for an attempted coup.
Experts weigh significance of no joint press conference
Trump typically uses White House meetings with foreign leaders as high-profile media opportunities, often hosting lengthy informal press conferences. The decision to skip a joint Oval Office appearance with Lula raised eyebrows among analysts. Oliver Stuenkel, an associate professor of international relations at Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) in São Paulo, told the BBC the omission suggests "some disagreements remain on the table," though he cautioned against interpreting it as a negative outcome.
Dawisson Belém Lopes, a professor of international relations at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, echoed this view, calling the cancellation overstated. "Lula is treated as an important, respectable interlocutor," he said. "He was literally received with a red carpet and went there to discuss matters of state, regardless of the disagreements that may exist-and certainly do exist-between him and Trump."
Shift in U.S. strategy toward Brazil
Lopes characterized the meeting as a pivot in the White House's approach to Brazil after months of public confrontations. "Trump is very experimental in the way he does politics in general, and foreign policy in particular," he said. "He operates by trial and error, and in this specific case, he already tried confronting Lula and Brazil. It brought no kind of reward."
Since their September meeting at the UN General Assembly in New York, Washington has adopted a more pragmatic stance, according to Lopes. The low-key nature of Thursday's talks-held "away from the spotlight"-reflected this shift. "This meeting signals the arrival of a new moment in bilateral relations," he said.
Personal diplomacy takes center stage
Stuenkel noted the meeting lasted roughly three hours, suggesting an effort to build a personal rapport between the two leaders-a priority in Trump's diplomatic style. However, the Brazilian government had modest expectations, particularly on contentious issues like U.S. demands to designate certain groups as terrorist organizations. "It was not realistic to convince Trump to reverse all the demands," Stuenkel said.
Instead, Brazil's strategy focused on minimizing new friction points. "Perhaps it is neither so relevant nor so smart to seek a major victory... but simply to reduce the risk" of further disputes, Stuenkel added. In a "very delicate moment" for bilateral relations, avoiding public tension was itself a win.
Election pressures shape diplomatic tone
With elections looming in both countries-Lula seeking re-election in October and Trump facing U.S. midterms in November-analysts say political calculations influenced the meeting's tone. Lopes suggested both leaders sought to avoid "thorny issues" that could be weaponized domestically. "It is in the interest of both parties not to create negative political facts and to manage the main points of contention," he said.
Sensitive topics were likely sidestepped, Lopes speculated, as the leaders avoided "unsolvable" disputes. "Trump is no longer a beginner at this point, much less Lula. Since these are experienced diplomats, experienced heads of state, they try to steer away from obstacles that are insurmountable."
Outcome favors Brazil, analysts say
Despite the power imbalance between the two nations, Lopes argued the meeting could be seen as a victory for Lula. "The United States is more important to Brazil than Brazil is to the United States," he said. "So in this case, if there was a draw, it is better for Brazil."
