Washington DC - President Donald Trump said he had good talks with Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the White House on Thursday, hailing the "very dynamic" leader despite previous tensions with his ideological opposite.

Leftist Lula (80) and right-winger Trump (79) have clashed before over everything from tariffs to Trump's bid to exert US dominance over the Americas.

But they have worked to bury the hatchet in recent months – not least as Lula seeks to boost his image at home ahead of tight elections in October.

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"Just concluded my meeting with Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the very dynamic President of Brazil. We discussed many topics, including Trade and, specifically, Tariffs. The meeting went very well," Trump said on his Truth Social network.

The meeting was due to be open to the press, but ended up happening behind closed doors.

"Our Representatives are scheduled to get together to discuss certain key elements. Additional meetings will be scheduled over the coming months, as necessary," Trump's post added.

Trump hit Brazil with steep tariffs on all its products in July as punishment for what he called a "witch hunt" against his far-right ally, former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence for an attempted coup.

Lula, who once said that Trump wants to be "emperor of the World," took a strong, public stand against the economic measures.

He has also slammed the US removal of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro and the war it launched alongside Israel against Iran.

Relations appeared to warm after Trump met Lula in Malaysia last year, and after they had a series of calls, with Trump at one point hailing their "excellent chemistry."

Both veteran leaders are known for their long and rambling public discourses, despite being at opposite ends of the political spectrum.

The US tariffs have since been partially reduced, easing tensions between the two biggest economies in the Americas.