Trump asks Lula to discuss tariffs; Lula responds, ‘will call Jinping, Modi instead’

By Anjali Sharma

WASHINGTON –Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday has turned down US President Donald Trump’s offer to discuss tariffs over a phone call, said that he would instead call his BRICS allies, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after escalating trade tensions between Brazil and the US.

“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,” Lula said while responding to Trump’s offer.

His remarks Came after President Trump, who has imposed 50 per cent tariff on Brazil over the alleged “witch hunt” against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, said that Lula can call him to discuss the tariffs.

Lula said that he will resort to all possible measures, starting with the WTO, to defend national interests.

“In fact, the government was already taking action to strengthen foreign trade and generate new opportunities for domestic companies before the change of administration in the United States,” Lula said.

Lula said he will call Trump to invite him to the COP30 UN climate change conference, which will be held in Belem, Para, later this year.

“You can be sure, I will call Trump to invite him to COP30 and find out his opinion on the climate issue. I will be kind enough to call him,” he said.

Brazilian finance minister Fernando Haddad said that Trump’s offer for talks is “great” and that Lula would be happy to receive a call.

Brazilian Supreme Court has put former President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest ahead of his trial for an alleged coup plot after losing elections in 2022.

US State Department condemned the house arrest order, saying Justice Alexandre de Moraes was using the Supreme Court to silence the Opposition in Brazil and threaten democracy.

State Department further added, the US would “hold accountable all those aiding and abetting sanctioned conduct.”