Lula Refuses to Call Trump, Says He’ll Reach Out to PM Modi and Xi Jinping Instead
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has declined to contact former US President Donald Trump to discuss tariffs, despite Trump recently stating that Lula could “call him anytime.”
In a video widely shared on social media, Lula made it clear he would not take the initiative to talk to Trump. Instead, he said he would rather reach out to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“I’m not going to call Trump to negotiate anything, because he doesn’t want to talk,” Lula said during a public event.
He continued:
“But don’t worry, Marina, I’ll call Trump to invite him to the COP [climate summit], because I want to know what he thinks about climate issues. I’ll extend that courtesy—I’ll call him. I’ll also call Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Modi…”
Lula added with a hint of humour:
“I just won’t call Putin, because Putin can’t travel right now. But I will call many presidents.”
Trump Says “He Can Call Me Anytime”
On August 1, Trump told reporters at the White House that Lula could call him whenever he wanted to discuss tariffs or other matters.
“He can talk to me anytime he wants,” Trump said, adding that he liked the Brazilian people but believed that “the people running Brazil made the wrong move.”
Brazil’s Finance Minister Welcomes Trump’s Words
Later, speaking to journalists in Brasília, Brazil’s Finance Minister Fernando Haddad called Trump’s comments “great,” saying he was sure President Lula felt the same and would be open to a call if Trump reached out.
Tariff and Sanction Dispute
Trump had recently imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods, though several exemptions were included. He referred to the move as part of a broader “witch hunt” linked to the legal challenges faced by former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently on trial for allegedly plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election.
The United States has also imposed sanctions on a Brazilian Supreme Court justice who is overseeing Bolsonaro’s case.
President Lula has strongly opposed both the tariffs and the sanctions, calling them “unjustifiable” and describing them as “unacceptable interference” in Brazil’s internal judicial matters.
In summary, Lula has refused to engage directly with Trump on the tariff issue, stating a preference to open dialogue with global leaders like PM Modi and Xi Jinping, while expressing his disapproval of what he sees as undue US influence in Brazil’s affairs.
