Brics supporters face potential increased tariffs according to Trump's threats - Trump warns of escalating import taxes towards nations backing BRICS alliance
In a recent development, U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose additional tariffs on countries that align themselves with the "Anti-American policies" of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), during the BRICS summit held in Rio de Janeiro.
Trump's announcement, made on his online platform Truth Social, stated that there would be no exceptions to this policy. He also warned that tariffs could escalate to as high as 50% starting August 1, 2025, if countries fail to reach agreements with the U.S. by that deadline.
In parallel, Trump’s administration plans to send letters to trading partners starting at noon ET on Monday, July 7, 2025, informing them about the new tariff rates on their imports to the U.S. However, the specific countries these letters are addressed to remain unclear.
The BRICS coalition has expressed serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariffs and non-tariff barriers, condemning such measures as distortive and inconsistent with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. The bloc criticized the U.S. approach as detrimental to global economic growth and reiterated its commitment to multilateral diplomacy and modernization of international governance reflecting a multipolar world order.
This situation reflects heightened trade tensions amid evolving geopolitical alliances and efforts by BRICS to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar in trade. In April, Trump imposed a base tariff of 10% on almost all imports from the EU, and special tariffs on steel, aluminum, and auto imports have also been implemented.
As negotiations between the EU and the U.S. have taken place in recent weeks, it remains to be seen how this threat will impact potential tariff deals between the two parties. The deadline set by Trump for the EU to meet the U.S.'s demands in trade matters ends on July 9.
References: [1] BBC News. (2023). Trump threatens BRICS countries with tariffs. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61641316 [2] Reuters. (2023). U.S. to send letters on tariffs to trading partners on July 7 - Trump. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/business/us-to-send-letters-on-tariffs-to-trading-partners-on-july-7-trump-2023-07-05/
- The discussion surrounding Trump's proposed tariffs on countries aligning with anti-American policies, as stated during the BRICS summit, falls under the umbrella of policy-and-legislation, particularly employment policy since tariffs can affect job markets.
- The heightened trade tensions between the U.S. and various countries, including BRICS nations, are a part of the general news landscape, with politics playing a significant role in shaping these conflicts, often being linked to war-and-conflicts or geopolitical alliances.
