US and Brazilian officials held trade discussions on Thursday, October 16, which both sides described as positive, agreeing to work toward arranging a meeting between President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva "as soon as possible." In a joint statement, the delegations said they would "pursue discussions on multiple fronts in the near term and establish a path forward," although no specific date was set for the proposed Trump-Lula meeting.

The talks in Washington included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira. They mark the latest diplomatic engagement between the two nations after months of a stalled relationship. Vieira described the talks as "an auspicious start to a negotiation process aimed at normalizing and opening new avenues for bilateral relations."

Earlier, Trump had raised tariffs on most Brazilian imports from 10 percent to 50 percent in August, citing what he called a "witch hunt" against former President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro was later sentenced in September by a Supreme Court panel to over 27 years in prison for plotting a coup following his 2022 election loss to Lula.

Last week, Trump and Lula spoke by phone after a brief encounter at the United Nations in September, with both leaders describing the conversation positively. They agreed to meet in person, raising hopes for a recovery in bilateral ties, which have been at their lowest in decades. Vieira described Thursday’s discussions as "great," noting a productive and technical-focused tone. The meeting lasted about an hour, including a 20-minute private session with Rubio.