U.S. President Donald Trump has once again sparked global concern after threatening to impose an additional 10% tariff on any nation that aligns with BRICS, the expanding economic alliance aimed at challenging U.S. and Western dominance.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump declared, “Any country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy.”
This warning comes just as BRICS leaders convened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, over the weekend, where they voiced strong criticism of U.S. trade practices and called for significant reforms to global financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The group, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded in 2023 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates collectively representing over half the world’s population.
In a joint statement, BRICS finance ministers condemned global tariffs especially those championed by the U.S. as harmful to international trade and economic stability. The bloc also took a strong stance on global conflict, denouncing recent military strikes on Iran by both the U.S. and Israel as violations of international law.
Trump’s latest tariff threat echoes his earlier 2024 proposal to impose 100% tariffs on BRICS countries if they proceed with plans to introduce a unified currency that could rival the U.S. dollar. While the currency proposal remains in its early stages, it signals a growing desire within BRICS to reduce dependence on Western-dominated financial systems.
The BRICS summit, attended in person by key leaders such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, emphasized the bloc’s role as a diplomatic counterweight to Western influence. Notably, Chinese President Xi Jinping was absent, sending Premier Li Qiang in his place, while Russian President Vladimir Putin joined the event virtually due to his ICC arrest warrant.
With global economic realignments gaining momentum, Trump’s hardline stance adds to rising trade and geopolitical tensions that could reshape international alliances in the years ahead.
