Brazilian President Lula da Silva is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House this Thursday, a source from the Brazilian government told Lusa today. According to the same source, the Brazilian head of state is scheduled to depart Brazil on Wednesday, or possibly early Thursday morning, bound for the U.S. capital.
Brazilian media, citing government sources, indicate that the encounter is being treated as a working meeting rather than an official state visit. The priority for the Planalto Palace during this meeting will reportedly be trade, cooperation against organized crime, and potential partnerships regarding critical minerals.
A previously scheduled meeting in Washington at the end of March was canceled due to geopolitical tensions following the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Iran has been a member of the BRICS group—of which Brazil is a founding member—since 2024.
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Trump and Lula began negotiations following a casual encounter in the corridors of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2025, a moment both leaders described as the start of a personal connection. The two presidents spoke by phone shortly thereafter and met in person on October 26 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in a meeting described as positive by both sides.
Last year, the Trump administration applied 50% tariffs to various Brazilian products—which were later reduced or eliminated—and applied sanctions to several judicial authorities directly involved in the legal proceedings against Jair Bolsonaro.
Despite the conviction of Bolsonaro, communication channels between the United States and Brazil have been reopened. The two leaders have participated in several meetings, and Trump has since removed tariffs on certain Brazilian exports, including beef, vegetables, coffee, and cocoa.
