Brazil US relations face renewed strain after President Donald Trump called the election won by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva rigged, even as the two countries maintain significant trade and shared security interests.

Key Takeaways

  • Trump questioned the October 25, 2026 election result but also said he gets along well with Lula.
  • The US has no ambassador stationed in Brasília, while Brazil’s ambassador to Washington has had her US visa revoked.
  • Trade and potential rare-earth agreements remain areas of interest for both governments.

Brazil US relations after the election

Speaking to reporters on October 26, a day after Lula won re-election, Trump said the vote “looked like another rigged election.” The remark was Trump’s characterization of the result.

Trump also said he liked Lula and got along with him. The two leaders have spoken by phone and met several times, despite recurring disagreements between their governments.

Evan Ellis of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said US insistence that the election was illegitimate could increase hostility between the presidents. He suggested Lula could push back against the Trump administration on issues including tariffs and regional policy.

Trade and security interests remain

Brazil supplies the US with raw materials, coffee and meat. Washington also wants agreements on rare earths used in technology and manufacturing, while seeking to encourage Brazil to distance itself from China.

Larissa Wachholz of the Brazilian Center for International Relations expects Brazil to continue diversifying its relationships, but said the two countries’ interests could converge on regional security and organized crime. Former US ambassador James Story identified intelligence and financial information sharing as potential areas of cooperation.

Story predicted Brazil would stay on the sidelines if Trump’s Shield of the Americas initiative organized joint military operations in the region.

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