Trump targets BRICS with sweeping tariffs, imposes duties on India and Brazil

Framing global economics as a battlefield for American sovereignty, President Donald Trump on Wednesday launched a direct assault on the BRICS alliance by announcing a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods and signing an executive order imposing a 50 per cent tariff on imports from Brazil.

Calling BRICS — the coalition of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — an “anti-United States” bloc, Trump accused its members of undermining the US dollar and warned that any country aligning with its policies would face financial consequences. “It’s an attack on the dollar,” he said. “And we’re not going to let anybody attack the dollar.”

The new duties reflect Trump’s growing effort to dismantle the influence of BRICS, a group he has previously called “dead.”

In a Truth Social post on July 6, he warned that BRICS membership alone would trigger an additional 10 per cent tariff on a nation’s exports to the United States. “If they’re a member of BRICS, they are going to have to pay a 10% tariff just for that one thing — and they won’t be a member long,” he wrote, declaring “no exceptions.”

India, long seen as a US strategic partner, is now facing both a 25 per cent tariff and the possibility of additional penalties. When asked whether New Delhi’s support for Russia would result in further consequences, Trump responded: “Well, we’re negotiating right now… It’s partially BRICS, and it’s partially the trade; this trade situation is the deficit.”

Despite describing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a friend, Trump criticised India's protectionist policies. “They sell a lot to us, and we don’t buy from them because their tariff is so high — one of the highest in the world,” he said, adding that August 1 would be “a very big day for this country. Money is going to pour into the United States like we’ve never seen before.”

Brazil was hit hardest, with Trump signing an executive order under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose a 50 per cent tariff. The administration cited Brazil’s alleged persecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters, censorship, and attacks on democratic institutions as grounds for the action. Russia, too, remains in Trump’s crosshairs.

Speaking in the UK, Trump expressed disappointment with Vladimir Putin and announced that he was shortening the 50-day grace period he had previously granted the Russian leader in light of the Ukraine war. “I’m disappointed in President Putin, very disappointed in him,” Trump said. “I think I already know the answer. I’m going to reduce that to about 10 or 12 days from today. There’s no reason to wait.”

Trump has also been sharply critical of South Africa’s alignment with Russia and China. While no tariffs have yet been announced against Pretoria, administration officials confirmed the country’s trade practices are under review.

China, despite being a founding BRICS member and the subject of past tariff battles, drew a more conciliatory tone from Trump on Wednesday. “We’re moving along with China. We’re doing fine with China,” he said. “I think it’s going to work out very well. We’re right in step. I think we’re going to have a very fair deal with China.”

Nonetheless, Trump’s record on China remains aggressive. During his first term, he launched a wide-ranging trade war against Beijing, and in 2024, he pledged a 60 per cent blanket tariff. Earlier this year, he added 10 per cent tariff on Chinese goods, citing continued trade imbalances and national security concerns.

Trump’s moves are being interpreted as both a policy initiative and a political strategy — reinforcing his America-first approach while testing traditional alliances.

(Courtesy: www.5wh.com)