In a sharp escalation of his trade rhetoric, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he would impose an additional 10% tariff on any country aligning with the “Anti-American policies of BRICS”, signaling renewed trade tensions just as global economic uncertainty deepens.
“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 declared in a post late Sunday night.
The announcement comes ahead of the expiration of a 90-day tariff negotiation pause set to end this Wednesday, during which the U.S. administration has been evaluating trade levies. Trump also noted that tariff letters would begin going out to dozens of countries starting noon Monday, Washington time.
Backdrop: BRICS Pushes Back
The BRICS alliance—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—concluded a summit over the weekend, where member leaders condemned U.S. and Israeli actions on Iran and demanded Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The bloc called for a “just and lasting resolution” to Middle East conflicts.
Trump did not elaborate on which specific “Anti-American policies” triggered the warning, nor did he provide clarity on when the new tariffs would be enacted. However, he has previously threatened to impose 100% tariffs on BRICS members if they abandoned the U.S. dollar in bilateral trade—a move the group has been slowly exploring.
Currency Alternatives and Governance Reform
At the summit, BRICS leaders reaffirmed their interest in developing a cross-border payment system that reduces reliance on Western financial structures. Although such plans have been discussed for over a decade, progress has been slow.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang urged BRICS nations to lead reforms in global governance, calling for a move away from unilateralism and protectionism.
“Today’s world is more turbulent, with unilateralism and protectionism on the rise,” said Li.
“China is willing to work with BRICS countries to promote global governance in a more just, reasonable, efficient and orderly direction.”
Trump’s warning introduces further uncertainty into U.S. trade relations, especially as global interest grows in de-dollarizing trade and shifting away from U.S.-centric systems.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet responded to Trump’s latest remarks.
