Not Trump, Brazilian President Lula da Silva says he will call PM Modi instead for trade talks

South America’s largest economy, Brazil, has been hit with a 50% tariff by the United States, prompting President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to declare he will not engage directly with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump. Instead, Lula announced that Brazil will seek recourse through the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other available channels to defend its trade interests.

Lula prioritizes outreach to other leaders

Rejecting Trump’s offer to speak “anytime,” Lula said the U.S. president “does not want to talk.” He added, “I will call Xi Jinping, I will call Prime Minister Modi, I won’t call Putin, because he can’t travel now, but I will call many Presidents.”


Despite the diplomatic friction, Lula confirmed that Trump will still be invited to COP30, the United Nations climate conference scheduled for November in Belém, Pará.

Tariff decision deepens bilateral strain

Tensions between Washington and Rio de Janeiro have escalated since the U.S. imposed the additional 40% tariff, in addition to the existing 10%, on a range of Brazilian goods. The measure, according to Trump, aims to counter what he described as a “witch hunt” against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who faces charges of plotting a coup after his 2022 election loss. Exempted goods include civil aircraft and parts, aluminum, tin, wood pulp, energy products, and fertilizers.

Lula described the tariff action as “the most regrettable” moment in the bilateral relationship. Speaking at an event in Brasília, he said Brazil was already pursuing efforts to boost foreign trade with partners including BRICS nations.

Brazil remains open to negotiations

While ruling out direct contact with Trump, Lula said Brazil remained open to tariff discussions through formal channels. “In 2025, we will resort to all possible measures, starting with the WTO, to defend our interests,” he said.

At the White House, Trump told reporters that Lula was welcome to contact him at any time and noted his affection for the Brazilian people, though he said “the people running Brazil did the wrong thing.”

Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad later described Trump’s remarks as “great,” and said he believed Lula would be open to receiving a call from the U.S. president.

According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. goods and services trade with Brazil totaled an estimated $127.6 billion in 2024, with a goods trade surplus of $6.8 billion, and a services trade surplus of $23.1 billion.