Brazilian correspondent Mariana Sanches said Donald Trump’s schedule included morning medical exams and internal meetings in the afternoon, when he usually receives visitors. She also mentioned a possible dinner at the Rose Garden, which, in her view, would generate “much more of a photo opportunity than a real conversation.”
According to Sanches, the leak about a possible Trump meeting gained importance because Flávio Bolsonaro’s team saw it as a way to shift attention away from the Dark Horse case, which was dominating headlines. If the meeting does not happen, she said, the senator could face “a new negative storyline” in an already troubled campaign. The controversy over the alleged request for money related to Dark Horse remains unresolved, and questions around it continue to weigh on the campaign.
Sanches said she heard from allies that the group was tense and trying to lower expectations. One source told her that the press should remember that Trump’s administration is not only about the president himself, but also includes other influential Republican figures Flávio might meet if Trump is unavailable. In other words, even without a direct meeting with Trump, the campaign could still try to present contact with other officials as politically meaningful.
She also reported seeing Darren Beattie, whom she described as responsible for Brazil-related issues at the State Department, leaving the hotel where Flávio was staying near the White House. Beattie did not speak to reporters as he left.
The overall picture described by Sanches suggests a campaign under pressure, trying to turn a possible Washington agenda into a political win while managing the fallout from the Dark Horse scandal. The possibility of a Trump meeting appeared to serve as a distraction from the controversy, but it also carried risks: if the meeting failed to materialize, it could deepen the perception of uncertainty and add another layer of criticism to the campaign.
