Trump, Brazilian president talk tariffs in 'positive' call

President Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva discussed tariffs in a phone call Monday that both leaders described as a positive step towards strengthening ties.

In the phone call, which Brazil’s government said lasted about 30 minutes, Lula asked Trump to remove the additional 40 percent tariff that he imposed in July over the prosecution of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for an alleged plot to stay in power after losing an election. The new tariff increased the existing the rate from 10 percent to 50 percent.

The leaders said they agreed to meet in person “soon,” and they exchanged phone numbers “to establish direct communication,” according to the readout from Brazil’s government.

Lula offered to come to the United States but also suggested meeting at the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia and reiterated his invitation to Trump to participate in COP30 in Brazil.

“This morning, I had a very good telephone call with President Lula, of Brazil,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “We discussed many things, but it was mostly focused on the Economy, and Trade, between our two Countries.”

“We will be having further discussions, and will get together in the not too distant future, both in Brazil and the United States,” he continued. “I enjoyed the call — Our Countries will do very well together!”

Bolsonaro was convicted and sentenced to 27 years in prison in mid-September, a decision that Trump called "very surprising."

Trump met briefly with Lula on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York late last month and said at the time that Lula “seemed like a very nice man, actually,” adding, “He liked me, I liked him.” The U.S. president also said he planned to meet with the Brazilian leader.

Lula and Trump “spoke in a friendly tone,” during the Monday phone call, and “reminisced about the good chemistry they shared in New York,” according to the readout from Brazil's government.

Lula touted the phone call as a step toward thawing relations between the two countries.

Trump tapped Secretary of State Marco Rubio to continue tariff negotiations with Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad, the readout said.

Haddad told reporters after the meeting that it was "positive,” while Alckmin said the call went "better than expected,” noting he’s optimistic that talks between the two countries will proceed, Reuters reported.