President Donald Trump issued a direct warning to nations cozying up to the BRICS alliance, declaring Sunday that any country siding with the “anti-American” bloc will face steep economic consequences.
“Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff,” Trump announced on Truth Social. “There will be no exceptions to this policy. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The BRICS group — originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, and China — has aggressively expanded in recent years to include anti-Western regimes like Iran, and seeks to undermine the U.S.-led global order. Now boasting members like South Africa, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, BRICS has become a vehicle for America’s adversaries to challenge the dollar and push back on American foreign policy.
At Sunday’s BRICS summit in Brazil, the group issued a formal condemnation of Trump’s successful strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, calling it a “violation of international law.” Iranian officials attended the summit as they ramp up efforts to rally support from fellow BRICS members.
Trump has long warned about BRICS’ ambitions to dethrone the U.S. dollar, blasting China and Russia for using the group as a geopolitical battering ram against the West. “The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER,” Trump said last year after winning re-election.
The president’s tariff warning follows reports that nine more nations — including Cuba, Belarus, and Kazakhstan — have joined BRICS as “partner states,” allowing them to participate in summits and policymaking sessions. Vietnam became the latest partner last month.
In a defiant speech, former Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, who now leads the BRICS New Development Bank, praised their growing financial strength and took aim at the U.S. Federal Reserve, saying borrowers should avoid reliance on the dollar. She pointed to a project funded in Chinese yuan — not U.S. dollars — as a model for future transactions.
Trump’s policy makes clear that any economic alliance against the United States will come at a cost. The 10% tariff would be added on top of existing rates, reinforcing his America First doctrine and drawing a hard line against foreign governments aligning with regimes like China, Russia, and Iran.
With BRICS expanding and pushing harder against American influence, Trump’s warning sends a clear message: siding with anti-American forces will have real consequences.