Key Points
- U.S. President Trump threatened a 10% tariff on any country aligning with the BRICS group.
- The threat emerged as BRICS leaders gathered in Brazil, criticizing U.S. tariff policies and advocating for a more multipolar world.
- Trump did not define what “anti-American policies” he was referring to.
- The BRICS group has expanded and now represents over half of the world’s population, seeking to exert greater influence on the global stage.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose an additional 10% tariff on any country that aligns with the “anti-American policies” of the BRICS group, as the bloc of developing nations began its summit in Brazil. The threat underscores the growing tension between the U.S. and an expanding group of countries seeking to establish an alternative to the Western-led global order.
In their opening statement, BRICS leaders criticized rising tariffs as a threat to global trade, a clear jab at the policies of President Trump. Hours later, Trump fired back on social media, warning that aligning with the group would come at a price. He did not specify what he meant by “anti-American policies.”
The BRICS group, originally Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has recently expanded to include several other nations and now represents more than half the world’s population. It aims to give a stronger voice to the “Global South” and reform institutions like the UN Security Council. Brazil’s president even called BRICS the “heir to the Non-Aligned Movement” from the Cold War era.
Trump’s warning comes as his administration rushes to finalize dozens of trade deals before a July 9 deadline, after which steep “retaliatory tariffs” could be imposed. The threat puts countries like Indonesia, which is attending the BRICS summit while also negotiating with the U.S., in a difficult position.
The move underscores the deep divisions in global politics as the BRICS nations push back against what they see as a unipolar, U.S.-dominated world.
