U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to countries aligning with the BRICS group of emerging economies, vowing to impose an additional 10% tariff on any nation supporting what he described as “anti-American” policies.
The threat, delivered via Truth Social on Sunday, came just days ahead of a key deadline in Washington’s ongoing global tariff campaign.
“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 wrote, without specifying which policies he considered anti-American.
The move marks a sharp escalation as the administration prepares to resume tariff enforcement. “I am pleased to announce that the UNITED STATES TARIFF Letters, and/or Deals, with various Countries from around the World, will be delivered starting 12:00 P.M. (Eastern), Monday, July 7th,” Trump added in a subsequent post.
Lula tells Trump world does not want “emperor”
Trump’s remarks drew swift condemnation from BRICS leaders, who concluded their summit in Rio de Janeiro with a muted but firm response. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, host of this year’s summit, said the group seeks a new global economic order.
“We don’t want an emperor, we are sovereign countries,” Lula said during closing remarks on Monday. “It’s not right for a president of a country the size of the United States to threaten the world online.”
Though the BRICS group avoided direct references to the United States or Trump in its 31-page final communiqué, analysts suggested the veiled language condemning “unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures” was unmistakably aimed at Washington. “They probably believed they could fly under Trump’s radar if they didn’t mention the U.S.,” said Oliver Stuenkel, professor of international relations at FGV University in Brazil. “But that clearly failed.”
Multipolar challenge to US economic dominance
The BRICS bloc, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has expanded in recent months to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates. While Saudi Arabia has not formally accepted full membership, it participated in this year’s summit as a partner nation.
Lula emphasized the bloc’s vision for a more inclusive global system. “This is not a club of the privileged,” he said. “It’s a group of nations trying to organize the world in a different way—focused on people and development, not conflict.”
Trump’s threat follows his earlier warnings of “100% tariffs” should BRICS members advance alternatives to the U.S. dollar. Although the group shelved earlier proposals for a shared currency, Lula reiterated his call to reduce dependence on the dollar. “The world needs to find a way that our trade relations don’t have to pass through the dollar,” he told journalists Monday, while cautioning that such reforms must be gradual and coordinated through central banks.
Global Response: Condemnation, Concern, and Diplomacy
Reactions to Trump’s threat were swift and varied across BRICS capitals. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said BRICS “avoids bloc confrontation or targeting any specific country,” adding: “We consistently oppose tariff wars and trade wars, as well as using tariffs as a tool for coercion and pressure.”
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa warned against retaliatory economic actions. “The powerful should not seek vengeance against those working for good in the world,” he told reporters.
Russia’s response was more reserved, with a Kremlin spokesperson affirming the bloc’s cooperation was grounded in a “common world view” and “will never be directed against third countries.” India, which has been in direct negotiations with the U.S., did not immediately issue a statement.
US moves forward with global tariff letters
Despite the controversy, the Trump administration is proceeding with its tariff strategy. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that around 100 letters would be sent to nations with minimal trade volumes, many already facing the baseline 10% rate. Bessent dismissed speculation about punitive 70% tariffs on major trading partners.
“If you don’t move things along, then on August 1 you will boomerang back to your April 2 tariff level,” Bessent said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” He characterized the administration’s approach as “maximum pressure,” but clarified: “It’s not a new deadline. We are saying, ‘This is when it’s happening.’”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that the new tariff levels would come into effect on August 1. Trump added that countries would receive either a tariff letter or a trade deal by July 9. “Could be 12, maybe 15 … and we’ve made deals, also,” he told CNN’s Betsy Klein at Morristown Municipal Airport.
To date, only three deals have been publicly disclosed—China, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom. All include elevated or adjusted tariff structures. China’s duties were reduced from a peak of 145% to 30%, while Vietnam faces a new 20% minimum rate.
Tense diplomacy and economic uncertainty
As BRICS expands and asserts a vision for a multipolar world order, Trump’s aggressive trade posture adds to the complexity of global economic diplomacy. While the group emphasized cooperation and development, it notably dialed down criticism of Russia over Ukraine and Iran over its nuclear program, highlighting both the bloc’s ideological cohesion and its internal contradictions.
Still, Lula defended the group’s relevance in a shifting geopolitical landscape. “The world has changed,” he said. “I think that’s why the BRICS are making people uncomfortable.”
With more than 30 nations expressing interest in joining BRICS and U.S. trade letters imminent, the coming weeks may redefine the balance between unilateral pressure and multilateral diplomacy in the global order.