Trump to Host Brazil's Lula at White House Thursday

President Donald Trump will host Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the White House on Thursday for discussions on shared economic and security interests, according to a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of an official announcement.

The leaders' relationship has fluctuated since Trump's return to office last year. The United States imposed tariffs on Brazilian products, including a 40 percent levy in July atop a prior 10 percent increase. Trump cited Brazil's economic policies and the criminal prosecution of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as justification, describing them as an economic emergency. Authorities have accused Bolsonaro of orchestrating a plot to retain power after his 2022 election loss to Lula, charges that parallel legal actions against Trump following the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot by his supporters.

The administration later eased some tariffs as part of efforts to reduce costs for American consumers. Relations began to improve at the United Nations General Assembly in September, followed by a private meeting in Malaysia in October and subsequent phone calls. Last month, Lula publicly supported Pope Leo XIV amid...