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Last September, Lula told the BBC in an exclusive interview that he has “no relationship” with Donald Trump.

It was just the latest in a war of words between the two leaders since Trump put a high tariff – 50% – on goods from Brazil in 2025.

“The American people will pay for the mistakes President Trump is incurring in his relationship with Brazil,” Lula said at the time. He also accused Trump of foreign interference and behaving like an “emperor”.

Trump has previously said that Lula can “call him anytime.” But Lula insisted that members of the Trump Administration “do not want to talk”.

Part of the reason for Trump’s high tariffs on Brazil was the trial and conviction of Lula’s predecessor, the right-wing Jair Bolsonaro, who had a close relationship with Trump. He was found guilty of attempting a coup d’etat after he lost the 2022 election to Lula.

“His relationship is with Bolsonaro, not Brazil,” Lula said of Trump.

But after a brief meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, relations seemed to thaw.

They spoke on the phone the next month, a conversation both leaders described as positive and friendly.

Trump said on his Truth Social platformthat the call “was mostly focused on the economy, and trade, between our two countries”.

“We will be having further discussions, and will get together in the not too distant future, both in Brazil and the United States.”

Today is that day – and it remains to be seen if the relations thaw further or not.