President Donald Trump addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
A friendly Trump-Lula encounter could pave the way for a thaw in US-Brazil relations
SAO PAULO (AP) 鈥 Brazil’s President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva used his speech at the United Nations General-Assembly to criticize the unilateral moves by his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump. He will leave with a pledge to discuss tariffs with the American leader 鈥 and a political win against his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro, who used to gloat about his access to the White House.
President Donald Trump addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
By Mauricio Savarese And El茅onore Hughes The Associated Press
SAO PAULO (AP) 鈥 Brazil’s President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva used his speech at the United Nations General-Assembly to criticize the unilateral moves by his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump. He will leave with a pledge to discuss tariffs with the American leader 鈥 and a political win against his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro, who used to gloat about his access to the White House.
Lula and Trump have been at odds since July, when the U.S. leader on many Brazilian exports citing alleged persecution against Bolsonaro, who was recently . But a brief, friendly exchange Tuesday in New York City, when they embraced and spoke for the first time, opened the door for a potential shift in U.S. policy towards Brazil.
鈥淗e seemed like a very nice man, actually,” Trump said of Lula after the encounter. 鈥淗e liked me, I liked him.鈥
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Trump’s remarks triggered celebrations among Lula allies at home and won over moderate politicians who had been critical of the Brazilian president before the tariffs.
Former Brazilian Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes, a center-right politician who often antagonized Lula, said Tuesday鈥檚 event will be a major win for the Brazilian president if it indeed helps to repair relations with the U.S. at their worst moment in two centuries.
鈥淭rump didn鈥檛 really know Lula and he was poisoned against him by Bolsonaro allies,鈥 said Nunes. 鈥淯nder these conditions, a personal contact between the two presidents is very positive. That’s what can really kick off preparations for a real negotiation between them.鈥
Many Bolsonaro supporters remained silent or downplayed the encounter鈥檚 importance 鈥 a stark change from their previous stance. They often claimed Trump was so unequivocally on their side that he revoked visas of Brazilian officials, in Bolsonaro鈥檚 coup trial, and ignored any diplomatic effort to speak to Lula.
But after Lula delivered a fiery speech at the U.N. , the two met and the mood seemed to change for the Brazilian back home.
Bolsonaro’s lawmaker son Eduardo, in March and to persuade Trump to weigh in on his father鈥檚 case, argued it was all predictable.
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鈥淔ar from causing astonishment, his stance reaffirms, once again, (Trump鈥檚) genius as a negotiator,鈥 Eduardo Bolsonaro said on X.
On the same day, Brazil’s lower house speaker Hugo Motta, a moderate politician, opened the way for Eduardo Bolsonaro to lose his seat due to his prolonged absence.
In a change of tone, Sao Paulo Gov. Tarcisio de Freitas, a pro-Bolsonaro presidential hopeful, on Wednesday no longer blamed Lula鈥檚 alleged lack of interest in negotiating for the higher U.S. tariffs, a position he had taken in August.
鈥(Trump) needs to negotiate, Lula needs to negotiate,” de Freitas told journalists. 鈥淭his situation is bad for Brazil and bad for the U.S. too. At some point there needs to be a convergence.鈥
Brian Winter, a Brazil expert and editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly, said Trump’s friendly remarks may be the sign of a different approach.
鈥淚t is possible that... they see that the tariffs and other measures seem to have strengthened Lula, damaged some U.S. companies and not helped former President Bolsonaro and his legal case,鈥 Winter said.
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Since Trump’s tariffs came into place, , partly due to his nationalistic tone. Earlier on Wednesday, he told journalists in New York that a meeting with Trump 鈥渄oesn’t need to happen tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.鈥
鈥淚 was surprised indeed,” Lula said about embracing the U.S president. 鈥淚 was going to get my papers and leave, then Trump came to my side. A very friendly face, very nice, you know? I think there was some chemistry indeed.鈥 ___
Hughes reported from Rio de Janeiro. ___
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