Trump warns of 10% tariff on BRICS-aligned nations

July 07, 2025 (MLN): U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a strong warning to countries supporting BRICS policies that challenge U.S. interests, declaring that such nations will face an additional 10% tariff with no exceptions.

“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,” Trump stated on his Truth Social platform on Sunday.

His comments came in response to the ongoing BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Leaders of the bloc have criticized U.S. tariff policies and called for reforms to major global institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the mechanisms for valuing major currencies.

BRICS, originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded last year to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The enlarged bloc now represents more than half of the world's population and is increasingly positioning itself as a counterweight to the influence of the U.S. and Western Europe.

Trump has long criticized the BRICS alliance, which he views as a strategic threat to U.S. global influence, as BBC reported.

In 2024, he warned of imposing 100% tariffs on BRICS members if they pursued the creation of a currency to rival the U.S. dollar.

The BRICS summit, which began this weekend, featured in-person attendance from several key leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was absent for the first time, represented instead by Premier Li Qiang.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is currently under an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, attended the summit virtually.

In a joint statement released Sunday, BRICS finance ministers condemned rising tariffs, stating they pose a significant threat to the global economy and inject "uncertainty into international economic and trade activities."

The bloc also addressed global conflict, condemning recent military strikes on Iran carried out by Israel and the U.S. since June 13, including attacks on nuclear facilities.

BRICS leaders criticized the strikes as violations of international law, underscoring their broader concerns over escalating geopolitical tensions.

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