Lula eyes Washington trip as ties with Trump cautiously thaw

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is expected to travel to the United States later this week for a meeting with Donald Trump, according to multiple media reports, in what would be a notable step in a relationship that has shifted from friction to cautious engagement.

Brazil’s O Globo first reported the planned visit on Monday. Later, Reuters cited two unnamed Brazilian officials saying Lula could arrive in the US in the coming days, with one source pointing to a Wednesday departure ahead of talks with Trump the following day. The White House has not confirmed the trip.

The meeting, if it goes ahead, would mark the latest turn in a relationship that started on tense footing. Early in Trump’s presidency, Washington imposed tariffs on Brazilian goods and pressed authorities in Brasília to drop a legal case against former president Jair Bolsonaro over his alleged role in a coup plot.

Since then, the tone has softened, though not without limits. Differences remain over foreign policy and Trump’s continued ties to Bolsonaro and his political circle. Still, there have been signs of a more pragmatic channel opening. The two leaders spoke by phone in January, when Lula signalled he would visit the US at a later stage.

They also crossed paths briefly in October on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, offering a first in-person interaction after months of strained rhetoric.