Trump’s son participates in event alongside JBS owner

Current executive vice-president of the Trump Organization, “Don Jr.”, stated that sectors such as mining, agribusiness and technology should be treated as strategic areas in the bilateral relationship between Brazil and the USA.

In addition to Wesley Batista, this Monday’s event was also attended by other Brazilian figures, such as André Esteves, chairman of BTG Pactual bank.

In his speech, Trump Jr. stated that the global supply chain has been captured by countries that do not share the same values ​​as the United States and its allies. For him, this scenario opens up space for a closer relationship between Washington and Brasília.

“The global supply chain has been captured by countries that don’t necessarily share our values. Aligning our interests with those of similar countries and reducing dependence on China and other regions of the world is very important,” said Trump Jr. “This creates a huge opportunity for Brazil-US relations.”

Trump Jr. also stated at the event that the US cannot depend on Chinese models or Chinese technological infrastructure. He added that the same logic applies to allied countries, including Brazil, and cited areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G infrastructure as part of the current geopolitical dispute.

Wesley Batista, in turn, defended that Brazil strengthen ties with the United States. The businessman stated that this movement would be “natural” and cited JBS’ internationalization experience in the American market.

“We, Brazilians, should increasingly encourage our country to strengthen ties with the USA. This is natural. We should connect here, and not on the other side of the world”, said Wesley. Batista also said that JBS’s operation in the United States showed similarities between the business environments of the two countries. “There is a very large similarity between the two countries, and this means that Brazilian companies are able to operate here naturally”, he declared.

The approach defended at the event comes days after the meeting between Lula and Trump at the White House. The meeting, which took place last week, lasted almost three hours and was set against the backdrop of trade negotiations and closer ties, as well as a request from the Lula government for the US to once again invest in Brazil.

Last year, China became the main global destination for Chinese investments, according to data from the Brazil-China Business Council. Chinese companies invested US$6.1 billion in Brazil last year, an increase of 45% compared to the previous year.

Despite this, the United States still maintains its position as the largest direct investor in Brazil in terms of accumulated stock. According to the Central Bank’s Direct Investment Report, the stock of American investment in the country totaled US$232.8 billion in 2024, almost six times more than Chinese investment, at US$40.3 billion.

Brazil began to occupy a central position in the United States’ strategy to diversify access to critical minerals and rare earths, a sector currently heavily dominated by China. Despite American interest, Lula said, during the meeting with Trump, that he did not promise Washington exclusivity for investment in this sector in Brazil. According to the Brazilian president, the country will remain open to investments from different sources, including China, Germany and India.

According to the agency ReutersJoesley Batista, Wesley’s brother and also owner of JBS, played an important role in organizing the meeting between Lula and Trump last week. According to the American press, Pilgrim’s Pride, an American chicken producer controlled by JBS in the USA, donated US$5 million to Trump’s inauguration committee in 2025, the largest individual contribution disclosed for the event.