Relations between the United States and Brazil appear to be on the mend after a turbulent year of political and economic tensions, as Presidents Donald Trump and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took significant steps toward renewed cooperation. On December 2, 2025, the two leaders held a 40-minute phone call described by both sides as “productive,” marking a notable thaw in a relationship that had grown frosty over the prosecution of Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro and subsequent U.S. sanctions.
The conversation addressed a range of topics, from reducing trade barriers to tackling the persistent challenge of organized crime. According to Bloomberg, President Trump characterized the exchange as a “great talk,” elaborating, “We talked about trade. We talked about sanctions, because, as you know, I sanctioned them having to do with certain things that took place. But we had a very good talk. I like him.”
The call, which both leaders agreed should be followed by further discussions, signals a willingness to move past the discord that had defined much of 2025. Trump and Lula first established a rapport in September of this year during a chance meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. That encounter, which Trump later described as unexpectedly warm, set the stage for subsequent dialogues, including an in-person meeting at the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in October.
“President Lula and I established a relationship at a meeting which took place at the United Nations, and I believe it set the stage for very good dialogue and agreement long into the future,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. “I look forward to seeing and speaking with him soon. Much good will come out of this newly formed partnership!”
For Lula, the phone call was a chance to emphasize the urgency of strengthening cooperation, particularly in the fight against international organized crime. In a social media post after the call, he stated, “I stressed the urgency of strengthening cooperation with the US to combat international organised crime.” Lula also noted the importance of trade, praising Trump’s recent decision to roll back tariffs on key Brazilian agricultural exports as “very positive,” but pointing out that further negotiations were needed. “I highlighted that there are still other tariffed products that need to be discussed between the two countries. Brazil wants to move quickly in these negotiations,” Lula said.
Trade tensions had reached a boiling point earlier in 2025, after Trump—who returned to the White House for a second term—imposed tariffs of up to 50 percent on certain Brazilian exports. The move came in response to Brazil’s prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was charged in February for allegedly attempting to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election. Bolsonaro, who had been a close Trump ally, was sentenced to 27 years in prison and taken into custody in November.
The U.S. further escalated matters by imposing sanctions and visa restrictions on Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, his wife, and an affiliated institute, citing their roles in the Bolsonaro prosecution. According to Bloomberg, Trump justified these sanctions as retaliation for actions he viewed as politically motivated. Lula, for his part, denounced the U.S. measures, accusing Trump of interfering with Brazil’s judicial system and likening the tariffs to “blackmail.”
Despite these sharp disagreements, economic ties between the two countries remain robust. The United States is Brazil’s second largest trading partner, with approximately $127.6 billion in goods and services exchanged in 2024. However, the balance of trade heavily favors the U.S., which exported nearly $91.5 billion to Brazil, compared to $36.1 billion in Brazilian exports to the U.S. Trump has often criticized Brazil’s economic policies as disadvantageous to American interests, but the numbers suggest otherwise—a point of contention that adds complexity to the ongoing trade discussions.
The November rollback of tariffs on agricultural products such as coffee, cocoa, beef, and orange juice was a tangible sign of progress. Trump’s move came amid growing voter dissatisfaction at home over the cost of living, and was welcomed by Brazilian officials. Still, Lula made clear his desire for more comprehensive negotiations, signaling that the issue of tariffs is far from settled.
Beyond trade, the fight against organized crime emerged as a central theme in the December 2 call. Trump has prioritized combating criminal networks in Latin America since returning to office, going so far as to designate several cartels and gangs as “foreign terrorist organizations.” He has also authorized a series of air strikes against boats and other vessels in the Caribbean Sea and along the South American coast—a campaign that, according to Al Jazeera, has resulted in at least 83 deaths. While Trump frames these actions as necessary to stem drug trafficking, human rights advocates have condemned them as extrajudicial killings and violations of international law.
Lula, meanwhile, faces mounting pressure at home to address Brazil’s own organized crime challenges, especially as he eyes re-election in 2026. In November, he publicly called on lawmakers to pursue tougher legislation against criminal networks, including increased support for federal police and intelligence agencies. “We need firm and secure laws to fight organised crime,” Lula posted on social media on November 19. Despite these efforts, his administration has come under scrutiny following a deadly police raid in Rio de Janeiro on October 28, which left 122 people dead. The operation targeted the Red Command, a notorious criminal organization, but raised serious questions about police tactics and accountability. Lula has called for an investigation into the incident and reiterated his commitment to “suffocating” criminal networks, with U.S. support playing a key role in that strategy.
As the dust settles from a tumultuous year, both Trump and Lula appear eager to chart a new course. The December 2 phone call, with its focus on cooperation and mutual interests, is being interpreted by analysts as a sign that the U.S. and Brazil are ready to move past the acrimony that has defined much of their recent history. Whether this detente will hold in the face of ongoing political and economic pressures remains to be seen, but for now, the two largest democracies in the Americas are talking—and listening—to each other once again.
