Overview

• The presidents spoke by videoconference for about 30 minutes in a friendly tone, with Planalto saying Trump placed the call and both leaders exchanged direct contact numbers.
• Trump assigned Secretary of State Marco Rubio to negotiate with Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and ministers Fernando Haddad and Mauro Vieira on trade and related disputes.
• Lula requested rollback of punitive surtaxes on Brazilian exports and asked for the removal of U.S. restrictive measures on Brazilian officials, including Magnitsky sanctions on STF minister Alexandre de Moraes.
• Both sides agreed to seek an in-person meeting soon, with the ASEAN summit in Malaysia or COP30 in Belém floated as options, and Trump posted that meetings could occur in Brazil and the United States.
• The outreach follows months of government and private-sector pressure after tariffs of up to 50% took effect in August, though Rubio’s prior criticism of Moraes signals possible friction as talks advance.