U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled a new tariff policy aimed at countries participating in the BRICS bloc, which he deems “anti-American.”
In a message posted on his Truth Social platform monitored by Tunexreportes on Sunday, Trump declared: “Any nation aligning with the Anti-American policies of BRICS will face an additional 10% tariff with no exceptions.”
This announcement comes in the wake of a BRICS finance ministers’ summit held over the weekend in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the bloc’s members criticized U.S. tariff measures and advocated for reforms in global financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Originally consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS has recently expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Collectively, these countries represent over half of the world’s population and are working to establish themselves as a diplomatic and economic alternative to Western influence.
In a joint statement, BRICS finance ministers denounced protectionist trade measures, arguing that tariffs such as those imposed by the U.S. create uncertainty in international trade and threaten global economic growth. They also condemned recent military actions by the U.S. and Israel against Iran as breaches of international law.
Trump has consistently criticized BRICS, viewing the bloc as a significant threat to U.S. economic supremacy. In 2024, he warned that he would impose 100% tariffs on BRICS countries if they pursued a new global currency rivaling the U.S. dollar, a topic still being explored among the member states.
The Rio summit featured several prominent leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. However, Chinese President Xi Jinping did not attend, sending Premier Li Qiang in his place. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is facing an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, participated in the meeting virtually.
