Washington, D.C.: U.S. President Donald Trump has once again stirred global economic anxiety by threatening to impose a universal 10% tariff on imports from countries aligned with the BRICS bloc. Trump, currently campaigning for a return to the White House in the 2024-2025 electoral cycle, declared that nations pursuing “anti-American policies” through BRICS would face immediate economic retaliation, emphasizing there would be “no exceptions.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “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.” His renewed warning comes just days after the conclusion of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, which featured an expanded group of leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and new entrants such as Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia.
This is not the first time Trump has proposed aggressive tariff measures. Earlier this year, he called for a blanket 10% “Liberation Day Tariff” on all U.S. imports to boost domestic manufacturing and curb foreign dominance. The latest threat appears to be a direct response to BRICS’s growing ambition to establish a common currency and reduce dependency on the U.S. dollar, a move Trump says could “jeopardize America’s financial sovereignty.”
Trump mocked the BRICS alliance in his statement, referring to it as a “little group fading out fast,” and dismissed the idea that such a bloc could effectively challenge the supremacy of the dollar or the global economic order led by the United States. He also hinted at further penalties, including 50% tariffs on specific imports from nations like Brazil, which he accuses of undermining democratic allies like former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
The economic fallout of Trump’s broader tariff agenda has already begun to ripple through markets. Following his announcements earlier this month, U.S. stock indices such as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq recorded sharp declines amid investor fears of an escalating trade war. Analysts warn that a blanket tariff on BRICS members some of the world’s largest economies could ignite a global trade conflict, severely affecting supply chains, commodity prices, and emerging markets.
Meanwhile, BRICS leaders have pushed back against Trump's narrative. At the Rio summit, the bloc jointly condemned unilateral trade sanctions, branding them as a threat to global development and equitable economic order. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva invoked the spirit of the Non-Aligned Movement, calling BRICS a platform for “diplomatic balance” in an increasingly polarized world.
Observers say Trump’s tariff rhetoric may be aimed as much at domestic voters as at international rivals. With inflation concerns and job outsourcing becoming central themes in the U.S. presidential race, the former president is leveraging economic nationalism as a campaign cornerstone.
Whether or not Trump regains power, his aggressive stance has already impacted global diplomacy and trade strategy. The BRICS bloc, sensing mounting pressure, is now weighing steps to accelerate de-dollarization and deepen financial cooperation potentially reshaping the future of global economics.