President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met Thursday at the White House for talks centered on trade tariffs, organized crime cooperation, and critical minerals, but they skipped a planned press availability with reporters.

The bilateral meeting, which included a working lunch, began around 11:15 a.m. EDT in the Oval Office but ran behind schedule. Reporters gathered outside in anticipation of brief remarks and questions, but access was delayed and then restricted. White House staff instructed the press to disperse, and no photo opportunity or joint appearance took place. Lula departed the White House without addressing the media pool, and Brazilian journalists left without official guidance on statements.

Trump later posted on Truth Social that the meeting "went very well," describing Lula as "very dynamic" and noting discussions on trade and tariffs. He announced that representatives from both sides would follow up in the coming months on key issues. No immediate agreements were announced.

The summit occurred against a backdrop of strained U.S.-Brazil trade relations. Last year, Trump imposed a 50% tariff on most Brazilian imports, including coffee and beef, in response to Brazil's prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro for attempting to overthrow democracy. The tariffs drove up U.S. consumer prices, leading to their partial reversal in November 2025 and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down remaining global tariffs in February 2026.

Tensions lingered into 2026. A 10% additional tariff on Brazilian products expires in July, and the U.S. is conducting a Section 301 investigation into Brazil's digital payments system Pix over alleged unfair advantages to domestic firms. Other disputes include Brazil's high tariffs on U.S. ethanol, its blockage of a WTO moratorium on e-commerce tariffs, and U.S. claims that nearly half of Brazil's timber exports are illegal—a charge Brazil denies amid falling deforestation rates.

Lula sought to avert new U.S. trade measures and secure cooperation on fighting transnational organized crime, hoping to avoid a U.S. terrorist designation for Brazilian gangs like the PCC. Discussions also touched on Brazil's rare earth mineral deposits, vital for U.S. technology needs.

The leaders' rocky history dates back to Trump's return to office. Previous encounters, including a tense October 2025 meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, saw abrupt endings to press interactions amid questions on trade and Bolsonaro. Phone calls in late 2025 helped mend some fences, paving the way for today's first in-person White House bilateral since Trump's inauguration.

No reason was given for forgoing the press event, which differs from typical state visits but aligns with Trump's preference for controlled messaging. Lula was expected to speak later at the Brazilian embassy, though details remained unclear as of late afternoon.

Follow-up talks between trade officials could address lingering issues, potentially easing frictions between the Americas' two largest economies.