In a fiery rant that could lead to new trade tensions around the world, former U.S. President Donald Trump said that any country that follows the “anti-American” policies of the BRICS group will be hit with an extra 10% tariff, with “no exceptions.” His harsh words came at a time when BRICS leaders were meeting in Rio de Janeiro to strengthen multilateralism and economic unity between the five emerging powers.
When Trump makes a threat, it’s a clear warning with vague targets.
Trump said on his social network Truth Social that countries that back BRICS could be punished with extra tariffs on top of the ones they already have. People see his statement as a direct attack on BRICS’ growing geopolitical power and resistance to U.S. dominance, even though he didn’t name any individual countries or policies.
He also said that “tariff letters” would be sent starting July 7, which was the last day of the BRICS meeting.
The BRICS response is a fight back against economic bullying.
BRICS leaders reacted strongly. They were there to represent Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and new members like Iran and Saudi Arabia. They said in a joint statement that Trump’s action was “arbitrary and illegal,” and that it would hurt growth, trade, and supply chains around the world.
Even though they didn’t name Trump or the U.S. by name, their message was clear: economic pressure will not be ignored.
Unity Among the Many at the BRICS Summit
The 11 countries that make up the BRICS group put on a united front, even though they had different political and ideological views. Even though Chinese President Xi Jinping wasn’t there and Russian President Vladimir Putin joined online, the summit’s main goal was still to make countries less reliant on Western institutions and trade based on the dollar.
What’s Next: Trade around the world is changing quickly.
Since Trump is probably running for a second term, this new move could mean that trade policy will become more aggressive again. Countries that are very involved with the BRICS now face unpredictability and the chance of being hit by U.S. tariffs. The next step in geopolitical economic ties will depend on how these countries and global markets react.
