Lula says U.S. ties improved

Trade is the heart of this story. Security and minerals were on the table too, but the real stakes were simpler — could Brazil stop a bad relationship with Washington from getting worse? After a three-hour meeting at the White House on May 7, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva came out saying ties with the U.S. had improved and stabilized. That is not a trade deal. But it is a clear change from the mood heading in. ### What actually happened in Washington? Lula met Donald Trump at the White House for roughly three hours of closed-door talks. The agenda was broad — tariffs, trade, critical minerals, and cooperation against organized crime. Trump later said the meeting went “very well,” and Lula said Brazil and the U.S. had taken an important step in consolidating the relationship. There was no big public signing ceremony and no joint press conference with a headline-grabbing breakthrough. The outcome was narrower — both sides agreed to keep talking. (msn.com) ### Why were tariffs the main pressure point? Because Brazil came in trying to avoid more damage. Trump had already slapped 50% tariffs on Brazilian products last year — among the highest rates applied to any U.S. trading partner in this fight. That meant Lula was not walking into Washington from a position of calm. He was trying to prevent anothe(msn.com)ful for Brasília. (usnews.com) ### So did Lula get the tariffs removed? No — at least not yet. The practical result was a commitment by U.S. and Brazilian trade officials to continue discussions in the coming weeks in Washington. Brazil’s side framed that as movement toward ending tariffs, but what exists right now is a working process, not a finished settlement. Basica(usnews.com) (straitstimes.com) ### Why bring up critical minerals? Because this is one area where both governments can claim a strategic interest. The U.S. wants more secure access to minerals used in batteries, electronics, and defense supply chains. Brazil has large reserves and is trying to turn that geology into leverage. The timing mattered too — Brazil’s lower house approved a bill on critical and strategic minerals the same day Lula met Trump, which made the pitch look more concrete. (bloomberg.com) ### And why organized crime? That piece is less flashy, but politically useful for both sides. Brazil’s government had signaled before the trip that cooperation against organized crime would be a core topic. For Lula, that lets the visit look bigger than a tariff rescue mission. For Trump, it puts the relationship in a security frame, not just a trade-deficit frame. That can make continued engagement easier even when tariffs stay contentious. (pbs.org) ### Why does Lula sound upbeat without a deal? Because the bar was low. The risk before the meeting was not “no breakthrough.” The risk was a public blowup, tougher tariffs, or a visit that exposed how little room the two governments had to work together. Instead, Lula got a cordial meeting, a positive Trump post afterward, and a promise of follow-up talks. That is why he is selling this as improvement. In diplomacy, sometimes “worse did not happen” is the win. (malaysia.news.yahoo.com) ### What should you watch next? Watch the Washington follow-up talks. If those meetings produce tariff relief, sector carve-outs, or a formal minerals framework, then this White House visit will look like the start of a reset. If they stall, this may end up as a temporary cooling-off moment dressed up as progress. ### Bottom line Lula did not come home with a tariff deal. But he pr(malaysia.news.yahoo.com). For Brazil, right now, that counts as improvement.