Trump, Lula meet at ASEAN summit, US President eyes ‘pretty good deals’ amid tariff tensions
At the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, US President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva agree to initiate immediate talks to resolve tariff disputes, as Washington signs new trade pacts across Southeast Asia.
Kuala Lumpur, Oct 27: United States President Donald Trump met with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, expressing confidence that the two nations will be able to strike “some pretty good deals” in the near future.
“It’s a great honor to be with the President of Brazil. I think we should be able to make some pretty good deals for both countries. We’ve always had a good relationship I think it will continue,” President Trump said, as quoted by the White House on X (formerly Twitter).
The meeting between the two leaders took place on October 26, against the backdrop of recent US tariff hikes of at least 50% on various goods a move that has raised trade tensions with several countries, including Brazil.
Following their meeting, President Lula confirmed that both sides had agreed to initiate immediate discussions to address tariff and sanction concerns.
“I had a great meeting with President Trump on Sunday afternoon in Malaysia. We discussed the bilateral trade and economic agenda in a frank and constructive manner. We agreed that our teams will meet immediately to advance in the search for solutions to the tariffs and sanctions against Brazilian authorities,” Lula wrote on X.
As part of his engagements at the ASEAN summit, President Trump also signed a series of reciprocal trade and cooperation agreements across Southeast Asia. These included trade pacts with Cambodia and Malaysia and a framework trade agreement with Thailand and Vietnam.
In a separate development, Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim jointly oversaw the signing of a peace accord between Phnom Penh and Bangkok, marking a significant diplomatic breakthrough in the region.
“Alongside this peace treaty, we are also signing a major trade deal with Cambodia and a very important critical minerals agreement with Thailand,” Trump announced. “I thank my counterparts from Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam for their collaboration and commitment in achieving a more balanced trade relationship with the United States,” he added.
According to a joint statement issued by the White House, the US-Thailand framework will maintain a 19% tariff on Thai goods while exploring areas for tariff reduction or elimination. In exchange, Thailand has agreed to remove barriers on 99% of US industrial and agricultural products, paving the way for enhanced bilateral trade.
The ASEAN summit has emerged as a platform for the United States to reinforce its economic presence in the Indo-Pacific region, with a focus on reciprocal trade, critical minerals, and regional stability.
