US President Donald Trump declared that countries aligning with the “Anti-American policies” of the BRICS bloc will face an additional 10% tariff, issued hours after the group’s summit opened in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, according to Reuters.
The threat intensifies global trade tensions as BRICS—now spanning Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the UAE—positions itself as a counterweight to Western-dominated institutions amid what Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva labelled as “rising protectionism.”
In a Truth Social post, Trump warned:
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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
The undefined “Anti-American policies” reference coincided with his administration’s 9 July deadline to finalise trade deals before imposing broad “retaliatory tariffs.” The move directly challenges BRICS’s growing influence, which now represents over half the global population and 40% of economic output.
BRICS leaders had earlier condemned tariff escalations in their inaugural joint statement, warning they “threatened global trade”, a veiled critique of Trump’s approach. Lula framed the bloc as the modern heir to the Cold War’s Non-Aligned Movement, declaring:
BRICS is the heir to the Non-Aligned Movement. With multilateralism under attack, our autonomy is in check once again.
The summit notably advocated for institutional reforms, demanding the UN Security Council and IMF better reflect “the new multipolar reality of the 21st century.”
BRICS expansion and climate diplomacy
Despite internal diversity, the summit advanced particular initiatives. A pilot BRICS Multilateral Guarantees scheme within the New Development Bank aims to lower financing costs for member states.
Separately, China and the UAE signalled investments in Brazil’s proposed Tropical Forest Forever Facility, a $125 billion conservation fund targeting deforestation reduction through payments of $4 per preserved hectare. Finance Minister Fernando Haddad, recently engaged in climate-finance talks, helped broker the backing.
The bloc also condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as a “grave concern” and labelled attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities “violations of international law,” while controversially terming violence in Indian-administered Kashmir a “terrorist attack.”
Artificial intelligence ethics featured prominently, with leaders demanding protections against unauthorised data collection and mechanisms for “fair payment” to content creators, a stance aligning with global artist-led copyright movements.
Indonesia’s attendance underscored the diplomatic tightrope faced by members: Senior Minister Airlangga Hartarto participated in Rio talks before immediately departing for US tariff negotiations. India’s silence on Trump’s threat further highlighted the bloc’s complex balancing act.
Brazil leveraged the summit to showcase climate leadership ahead of November’s UN COP30 in Belém. This contrasts sharply with Trump’s dismissal of climate initiatives.
The expansion, encompassing 30 interested nations, amplifies BRICS’s voice but tests its coherence, particularly as Saudi Arabia hesitates on formal membership.
