It was an unexpected moment that rippled through the diplomatic corridors of the United Nations on September 24, 2025. As world leaders gathered for the annual General Assembly in New York, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump crossed paths purely by chance. What followed was a brief but telling encounter between the leaders of the two largest economies in the Americas, both of whom later described their surprise and a newfound sense of "chemistry"—a word not often associated with the current state of Brazil-U.S. relations.
According to the Associated Press, Lula recounted at a news conference that he was "as surprised as U.S. President Donald Trump" by their meeting, given the recent deterioration in diplomatic ties. The Trump administration, after all, had imposed severe economic penalties on Brazil, including 50% tariffs on many exports and sanctions on judges, in response to the arrest and conviction of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro, a close ally of Trump, had been sentenced earlier that month to 27 years in prison for attempting a coup in Brazil—a move that further strained relations between the two governments.
The brief encounter took place just as Lula was exiting the General Assembly after delivering his speech, while Trump was arriving to take the podium. "I saw him, he saw me, and we embraced," Trump told the assembled world leaders. He described the meeting as lasting "about 20 seconds," but said it was enough to agree on a more substantive meeting the following week. "We had a good talk, and we agreed to meet next week," Trump noted, as reported by the AP.
Despite the brevity of their exchange, both leaders struck an unexpectedly positive tone. Trump remarked, "Lula seemed like a very nice man, and I liked him. We had excellent chemistry. It’s a good sign." Lula, for his part, echoed the sentiment, saying Trump appeared "very friendly, very pleasant, and I think that indeed there was some chemistry there." The Brazilian president added that the encounter made him "very happy" and "optimistic" about the possibility of putting an end to the "bad feeling" that had come to define Brazil-U.S. relations in recent years.
The optimism was tempered, however, by the realities underpinning the diplomatic chill. The Trump administration’s tariffs and sanctions were imposed as a direct response to Bolsonaro’s conviction, with the U.S. accusing Brazil of "censorship, repression, weaponization, judicial corruption, and targeting of political critics." Trump did not shy away from airing these grievances before the UN, stating that Brazil faced "major tariffs" for its actions and for imposing what he described as unfair tariffs on the United States.
Lula, in turn, used his public remarks to clarify Brazil’s position and push back against what he sees as misinformation. He told reporters, "Let’s bring everything to the table." He emphasized that while trade and investment are crucial—Brazil and the U.S. share a 200-year history of diplomatic relations—there are limits to what can be negotiated. "What cannot be discussed is Brazil’s sovereignty and democracy and the work of its judges and judicial system," Lula said firmly.
He also sought to correct what he described as a fundamental misunderstanding about the economic relationship between the two nations. Lula pointed out, "The United States has had a $410 billion trade surplus with Brazil over the last 15 years." This assertion was aimed at countering claims that the U.S. was suffering from a trade deficit with Brazil, a narrative that has fueled some of the recent tensions.
Both leaders, despite their political differences and the contentious backdrop, made a point of emphasizing mutual respect. Lula, who will turn 80 in October 2025, noted that Trump’s 80th birthday is coming up in June 2026. "There is no reason for us to play games," Lula said. "I’m going to treat him with the respect that he deserves as the president of the U.S., and he’s going to treat me with the respect that the president of the Federal Republic of Brazil deserves." He also reflected, "The leaders I respect most are those elected by the people, regardless of ideology."
Trump, however, did not mince words regarding his view of Brazil’s current trajectory. Addressing the General Assembly, he declared, "Brazil is doing poorly and they can only do well when they’re working with us. Without us, they will fail just as others have failed." His comments underscored the sharp edge that still defines the relationship, even as both sides gesture toward dialogue.
For Lula, the path forward is one of direct engagement and negotiation. "I don’t know how many politicians in the world actually believe in human relations as I do, but everything can be sorted out when two people talk," he said, according to the AP. "So, I want him to know what is true really about Brazil." Lula insisted that any agreement between the two countries must be "a win-win agreement."
The stakes could hardly be higher. With significant investments and trade on the line, both leaders acknowledged the importance of finding common ground. Lula’s call to "bring everything to the table" signals a willingness to engage, but also a clear boundary: Brazil’s sovereignty and democratic institutions are not up for negotiation.
Observers in both countries are watching closely. The tariffs and sanctions have had real economic consequences, particularly for Brazilian exporters. At the same time, the U.S. administration’s hard line on Bolsonaro’s conviction reflects a broader concern about the rule of law and democratic norms in the region. The fact that both leaders were able to speak—even briefly—without rancor has offered a glimmer of hope that dialogue might yet prevail over discord.
As the world waits for the promised follow-up meeting, the chance encounter at the UN serves as a reminder that international relations are often shaped as much by personal dynamics as by policy. Whether the "chemistry" both men described will translate into tangible progress remains to be seen. But for now, at least, the door to further conversation is open, and both sides appear willing to step through it—albeit cautiously.
Sometimes, all it takes is twenty seconds and a handshake to change the tone of a relationship. Whether that’s enough to bridge the gap between rhetoric and reality is a question only time—and perhaps the next meeting—can answer.
