Overview
- Presidents Trump and Lula shared a friendly 20–40 second exchange at the U.N. General Assembly and, according to Trump, agreed to meet as soon as next week.
- The White House’s 50% tariffs on many Brazilian exports and sanctions tied to actions against Jair Bolsonaro remain in force.
- Lula said he is open to discussions on trade and investment but emphasized that Brazil’s democracy and courts are not up for negotiation.
- Reuters reported that JBS co-owner Joesley Batista met Trump privately weeks before the U.N. encounter, with sources saying he raised concerns about tariff costs; JBS and the White House did not comment.
- Brazilian political figures and analysts framed the encounter as a potential thaw that could revive stalled talks, and markets reacted positively to the change in tone.