Trump and Lula hold private Oval Office meeting, skip joint press appearance
The US and Brazilian presidents met at the White House but avoided a joint press appearance. The encounter signalled an effort to manage rather than mask tensions over coffee and ethanol tariffs and Amazon deforestation.
Donald Trump and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke privately for about 50 minutes at the White House. Officials from both governments said the agenda covered climate, trade and migration friction.
No joint press conference followed; each president released only a written statement. Lula said Brazil pressed for relief on US tariffs on Brazilian ethanol and steel, while Trump signalled openness to cooperation on Amazon wildfires.
The Iran war's spillover into commodity prices is hitting both economies hard. Brazil is a major soy and iron-ore exporter; the US is a net oil exporter. The Bovespa index in São Paulo rose 0.8% after the meeting. The White House said senior-level talks would continue in June.
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