Lula and Trump: Brazil’s President Seeks UN Talks, Warns ‘Don’t Meddle’
Brazil · Politics
Key Facts
- —The offer Lula says he is willing to talk to Trump and could meet him around the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2026.
- —The warning On August 14 Lula told two podcasts: don’t meddle in Brazil’s business, and above all in the election.
- —The tariffs Washington now charges 25% on most Brazilian goods under Section 301, after the US Supreme Court struck down an earlier 50% levy in February 2026.
- —The trial Former president Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to more than 27 years in September 2025 for plotting a coup, a case Trump has attacked.
- —The sanctions The US hit Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes with Magnitsky sanctions in July 2025, then revoked a Brazilian ambassador’s visa in August 2026.
The olive branch comes wrapped in a red line: Lula will travel to New York in September. But says Brazil’s October vote is off-limits to Washington.
Lula and Trump may cross paths again soon, this time on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Brazil’s president says he is open to talking, yet he paired the offer with a blunt condition.
Do not meddle in Brazil, he told Washington, and above all stay out of October’s election.
What Lula and Trump might do in New York
Lula and Trump have not scheduled a formal meeting, and nothing is confirmed. Still, Brazil’s leader has made clear he is ready to talk if the chance arises.
He plans to travel to New York in September for the UN General Assembly. So the two could meet in the corridors, much as they briefly did in 2025.
The line Lula drew
On August 14 Lula spoke on two Brazilian podcasts and set his terms plainly. Don’t meddle in Brazil’s business, and above all in the election, he said.
Then he added a warning aimed squarely at outsiders. Whoever comes to interfere in this country’s vote, he said, is going to lose.
Why the election is the real flashpoint
Brazil holds its presidential election in October 2026, and Lula is running again. Because of that, any foreign pressure now lands as campaign interference.
His likely rival carries the Bolsonaro name, which raises the stakes further. As a result, Lula frames national sovereignty as the heart of his pitch to voters.
How the tariff fight got here
The trouble began in 2025, when Trump slapped a 50% tariff on many Brazilian exports. He tied the move partly to Bolsonaro’s treatment in the courts.
In February 2026 the US Supreme Court struck down that levy. Since July 22, though, Washington has charged 25% on most Brazilian goods under a new legal route.
The Bolsonaro case behind the tension
In September 2025 Brazil’s Supreme Court sentenced former president Jair Bolsonaro to more than 27 years. Judges found he plotted a coup to cling to power.
Trump has called the case a witch hunt and defended Bolsonaro in public. Meanwhile Lula insists Brazil’s courts answer to no authority abroad.
Sanctions and a widening visa fight
The pressure is not only economic. In July 2025 the US placed Magnitsky sanctions on Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw the Bolsonaro case.
The tit-for-tat has since widened. In early August 2026 Washington revoked a Brazilian ambassador’s visa, and Lula opened a reciprocity process in reply.
They have talked before
Despite the friction, the two leaders keep a live channel open. They held a long phone call in January 2026, and later met at the White House in May.
Those talks eased the mood but settled little. So the UN corridors now loom as the next real test of the relationship.
When the UN meeting could happen
The UN General Assembly opens its new session on September 8, 2026, in New York. The high-level debate, when presidents take the podium, runs from September 22.
Lula is expected to address that debate during his campaign. Any encounter between the two men would most likely happen around those days.
What to watch next
Watch whether either side confirms a formal sit-down before late September. A handshake alone would signal a thaw, while a snub would signal the opposite.
Watch the tariff talks too, since trade is the clearest lever for a deal. For now, the Lula and Trump relationship rests on dialogue offered but an election fenced off.
Background: our how to rent an apartment in brazil as a foreigner guide.
More: Brazil news, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Lula and Trump definitely meeting at the UN?
No. Nothing is scheduled. Lula has only said he is open to talks.
What did Lula mean by ‘don’t meddle’?
He told Washington to stay out of Brazil’s affairs, especially the October 2026 election. He made the remark on two podcasts on August 14, 2026.
What tariffs does the US charge on Brazil now?
Since July 22, 2026, most Brazilian goods face a 25% Section 301 tariff. That replaced a 50% levy the US Supreme Court struck down in February 2026.
How does Bolsonaro fit into this?
Trump tied his pressure to the coup case against Jair Bolsonaro. Who was sentenced to over 27 years in September 2025 by Brazil’s Supreme Court.
Connected Coverage
Sources: Reuters; Al Jazeera; CNN Brasil; Washington Post; U.S. Treasury; USTR.
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