Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump held a closely watched meeting at the White House on Thursday that was expected to include public remarks and camera access, but the encounter instead concluded behind closed doors with no joint appearance before reporters, fueling questions about the state of relations between the two leaders.
The bilateral meeting had initially been scheduled to open to journalists in the Oval Office before lunch between the two presidents. But shortly before the session began, reporters were informed that Brazil's delegation had requested that any interaction with the press occur only after the private talks concluded. That appearance ultimately never happened.
NewsNation White House correspondent Kellie Meyer reported that Brazilian journalists began leaving the White House after learning Lula would depart following lunch without speaking publicly alongside Trump.
BREAKING: Brazilian press begins to leave the White House as we learn that Brazil’s President will now leave after lunch instead of opening the meeting to cameras.
— Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) May 7, 2026
The bilateral meeting was set to be open to press at 11:15 am et but Brazil’s president said he preferred to wait… pic.twitter.com/t6Rfdlj6WE
Spain's ABC correspondent David Alandete described the shift as "an unusual change" for what had been expected to be a high-profile bilateral meeting.
Confirmado. No habrá parte del encuentro de Trump y Lula abierta a prensa. Lula se va de aquí de la Casa Blanca. Un cambio insólito, tras una esperada reunión que queda... escondida a petición de la delegación brasileña. https://t.co/TJyQfLYT94
— David Alandete (@alandete) May 7, 2026
The lack of public access contrasted sharply with Trump's description of the encounter afterward. Posting on Truth Social, Trump said he had "just concluded" a meeting with the "very dynamic President of Brazil," adding: "We discussed many topics, including Trade and, specifically, Tariffs. The meeting went very well."
Trump also said representatives from both governments would continue discussions in the coming months and indicated further meetings would likely follow.
The meeting took place amid a complicated backdrop in U.S.-Brazil relations. Last year, Trump imposed 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian products, citing what he called a politically motivated prosecution against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally later convicted over an alleged coup attempt against Lula's government.
While many of those tariffs were later withdrawn, some Brazilian exports still face additional duties that are set to expire in July.
Brazil has also faced growing concerns over possible new tariffs linked to a Section 301 investigation into alleged unfair trade practices. Trade tensions surrounding ethanol, digital commerce and environmental enforcement have remained unresolved.
This is a developing story
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