‘Trump is not emperor of the world’: Brazil’s Lula says he has 'no relationship’ with US President

Brazil's Lula hits back at Trump over Bolsonaro trial and tariffs

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has declared that he has “no relationship” with his American counterpart Donald Trump, underscoring the growing tension between Washington and Brasília over the trial of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

When asked why he had not reached out to Trump directly, Lula told the BBC, “I never tried that call because he never wanted to have a conversation.” Trump has said Lula could “call him anytime,” but according to the Brazilian leader, Trump’s administration “do not want to talk.”

In the same interview, Lula reiterated his stance on tariffs, saying, “The American people will pay for the mistakes President Trump is making in his relationship with Brazil.”

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Lula said this was the clearest indication yet that communication between the two leaders is virtually nonexistent. While he has frequently criticised Trump in the past, Lula has also maintained that dialogue between the nations is essential.

‘He is not emperor of the world’: Lula slams Trump

Silva talked about his strained ties with Donald Trump are an exception, noting he maintains strong relationships with former U.S. presidents, British prime ministers, the EU, China, Ukraine, Venezuela, and “all the countries in the world.”

Lula told the BBC that if he crossed paths with Trump at next week’s United Nations General Assembly, he would still acknowledge him. “I would greet him because I am a civilised citizen,” he said, but added pointedly, “Trump may be president of the United States, [but] he’s not emperor of the world.”

When asked whether he had a better relationship with Trump or Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lula defended his ties with Putin, recalling that they were forged “in previous times” when both were heads of state. “I don’t have a relationship with Trump because when Trump was elected the first time, I wasn’t president. His relationship is with Bolsonaro, not Brazil,” he remarked.

The rift widened after the Trump administration imposed a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian goods in July, citing Bolsonaro’s coup trial as justification. Despite Brazil’s trade surplus with the United States, Lula condemned the tariffs as “eminently political” and warned they would hit American consumers. “The American people will pay for the mistakes President Trump is incurring in his relationship with Brazil,” he said at the time.