Trump, Lula Start Talks on Tariffs, Sanctions

Presidents Donald Trump and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva held a constructive meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur and agreed their teams would begin talks immediately to resolve a trade dispute. The talks follow U.S. actions in August that raised tariffs on most Brazilian goods from about 10% to roughly 50% and included sanctions and visa restrictions on Brazilian officials. Brazil has requested suspension of the tariffs while negotiations proceed, and the talks are expected to involve senior U.S. trade and Treasury officials and Brazilian economic and foreign‑policy advisers. Discussions are expected to cover tariffs, sanctions and broader trade issues, including ethanol, social‑media regulation and potential cooperation on rare earth minerals. Lula said the meeting went well and reported that Trump personally guaranteed a quick deal, and both presidents expressed optimism they could reach mutually beneficial agreements within weeks.