MC EXPLAINER Why Trump is stepping up fight against BRICS nations

Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that countries aligning themselves with the "Anti-American policies" of BRICS, will be charged an additional 10% tariff.

"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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump's latest warning is far from a one-off post. Since returning to office, the American President has targeted the bloc repeatedly — labelling it “anti-American,” threatening 100% tariffs if its members attempt to undermine the US dollar, and declaring “BRICS is dead.”

BRICS' transformation into a more formidable coalition

The BRICS grouping, initially formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has now expanded to include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran, bringing the total number of member nations to eleven. This expansion transforms BRICS into a more formidable coalition, representing nearly half of the world's population and around 37% of global GDP in purchasing power parity (PPP). The enlargement signals a strategic pivot towards greater cooperation among emerging economies, with a focus on financial sovereignty, sustainable development, and inclusive global governance.

Strengthening of Global South and push towards de-dollarisation

According to a report by Sputnik News, the recent BRICS+ expansion reflects a strategic shift toward the Global South. With the inclusion of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the UAE, the bloc now accounts for approximately 45% of the world's oil production, significantly boosting its energy influence on the global stage. This shift empowers the bloc to explore de-dollarisation-trading oil in local currencies like rupees or the yuan, potentially weakening western financial hegemony. The New Development Bank (NDB) also strengthens with new members, enhancing its ability to fund South-South infrastructure and sustainability projects outside Western-led institutions.

Why Trump believes BRICS may undermine US interests

President Donald Trump believes BRICS is seeking to "undermine" the interests of the United States, and he intends to ensure that America is fairly treated on the world stage, the White House stated. While addressing a press briefing on Monday (local time), Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump will take any necessary action to prevent nations from taking "advantage of the US" and its people.

"The president feels, generally speaking, that BRICS is seeking to undermine the interests of the United States. It's the president's utmost responsibility to put the interests of the United States first. That's how he views his job as president. So, he's going to ensure that America is fairly treated on the world stage, and he'll take any action necessary to prevent countries from taking advantage of the United States and our people."

Altogether, BRICS nations--Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, as well as many other developing nations that have joined BRICS over the last few years --account for nearly half of the world's population and about 40 per cent of the global GDP. The BRICS group now accounts for approximately a quarter of global trade and investment flows.

Will Trump’s pressure fracture the BRICS bloc?

At least for now , BRICS nations appear committed to economic integration, even if their pace is slow. “One of the ways to bring countries closer together is to reduce financing costs for trade operations. And one of the ways is to use more local currencies,” said Tatiana Rosito, Brazil’s Secretary for International Economic Relations, as quoted by Bloomberg.

Despite Trump’s efforts to derail the bloc’s ambitions, BRICS remains intent on developing a “multilateral guarantees initiative” to enhance creditworthiness and reduce dependence on hard currency loans. But with the US President threatening ever-higher tariffs and dismissing the bloc’s relevance altogether, BRICS may be forced into faster coordination — or risk losing coherence under mounting pressure from the world’s largest economy.