President TrumpDonald John TrumpMaxine Waters warns if Senate doesn’t remove Trump, he’ll ‘invite Putin to the White House’ Trump signs .4 T spending package, averting shutdown Twenty-five Jewish lawmakers ask Trump to fire Stephen Miller over ‘white nationalist’ comments MORE on Friday discussed trade in a call with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro after the U.S. abruptly threatened to reimpose steel tariffs on the South American nation.
“Just had a great call with the President of Brazil, @JairBolsonaro. We discussed many subjects including Trade. The relationship between the United States and Brazil has never been Stronger!” Trump tweeted.
Further details of the call were not immediately available.
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Trump and Bolsonaro have enjoyed a close relationship since the South American leader took office earlier this year.
But Trump appeared to catch Bolsonaro off guard when he announced earlier this month that the U.S. would restore tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Brazil and Argentina, citing “massive devaluation of their currencies.”
National Economic Council director Larry KudlowLawrence (Larry) Alan KudlowMORE later said the administration had not made a final decision about imposing the tariffs, even though Trump’s tweet said they were “effective immediately.”
The Trump administration first implemented steel and aluminum tariffs in March 2018 in an effort to pressure countries into negotiating trade deals, despite opposition from members of both parties.
In May 2018, the administration made deals with several countries, including Brazil and Argentina, to temporarily suspend the tariffs.