SOURCE: BBC
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil met with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday
They discussed Trump’s tariffs on Brazilian goods and other economic matters, according to Trump, but did not appear together in front of the press
After lunch, Trump posted on social media that the meeting “went very well” and additional meetings between representatives would take place in coming months
Critical minerals were also believed to be on the agenda, as well as a US investigation into Pix, the Brazilian instant payment system
While the two leaders appeared to have a good rapport during a meeting in 2025, they have differing stances on a number of issues
Trump has a close relationship with Lula’s predecessor Jair Bolsonaro, who has since been found guilty of planning a coup to stay in power
Edited by Oliver O’Connell and Lisa Lambert with reporting from Daniel Bush and BBC Brasil’s Leandro Prazeres
Lula leaves White Housepublished at 18:53
President Donald Trump just posted on Truth Social about his meeting with President Lula, calling the Brazilian leader “very dynamic”.
“We discussed many topics, including Trade and, specifically, Tariffs. The meeting went very well. Our Representatives are scheduled to get together to discuss certain key elements,” Trump writes.
He adds that there will be additional meetings over the coming months.
Those are the only details we’ve received from the White House to give us a sense of how the meeting went.18:19
We’re hearing now that the Brazilian press is leaving the White House.
Reporters have not been given any guidance on public statements to come from Trump or his team this afternoon.
Our BBC Brasil reporter tells us Brazilian President Lula is still expected to give a news conference later at the Brazilian embassy in Washington.
We and the assembled Brazilian media are still waiting for the two leaders to appear in the Oval Office. We expected to hear from them more than two hours ago.
In the meantime, we now know what’s on the menu for the luncheon part of today’s bilateral meeting.
It includes beef filet and a caramelised peach and honey panna cotta torte for dessert.
US President Donald Trump is hosting his Brazilian counterpart President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the White House today.
The working visit follows months of tense relations between Washington and Brasilia over the past year.
Even though Lula arrived roughly two hours ago, the press has not been invited into the Oval Office to ask the leaders questions or take photos – leaving them in the dark about how the visit has been going.
On the table for discussion today are “economic and security matters of shared importance,” the White House says. They could possibly be discussing rare earth minerals or Brazil’s Pix payment system.
We’ve written about the leaders’ dispute over tariffs the Trump administration put on Brazil goods here. Lula, as well, spoke out against the US seizure of Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro.
Stay with us as we bring you updates from the meeting and analysis from our correspondents in Washington and Brazil.16:37
The White House has informed reporters who had lined up to go into the Oval Office that they can disperse for now. Press is on standby and will be updated with any timing details.
We’re not entirely sure what’s going on behind those closed doors or what access press will have to the leaders, but we do know Lula arrived more than an hour ago.
Stick with us. We’ll bring you the latest developments.
Reporters have been waiting for over an hour in the White House briefing room to see if they will be allowed to go into the Oval Office for Trump and Lula’s meeting.
The two leaders were expected to speak to the press and possibly take some questions this morning, but reporters have so far not had word on access to the meeting.5:53
Brazil holds between 20% and 23% of the world’s rare earth reserves, the second largest after China, by most estimates.
These minerals are essential for making fighter jets, semiconductors, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence systems, medical devices, computers, and telephones—in short, virtually all the technology that moves the world.
The US is seeking to build a stockpile of these mineral in an operation called Project Vault. And the country want to do it while minimising a reliance on China.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping retaliated against Trump in 2025 by restricting the export of rare earth elements, making it clear that China will wield its dominance in strategic mining is as a weapon in trade negotiations.
That’s where Brazil comes in.
An alliance with Brazil, for example, could help the US reduce its dependence on China, an expert tells the BBC.
However, the Lula government seems to have no reason to rush into signing a agreement with the Americans.
That may be on the table for discussion today.
