Trump threatens 10% tariff on Brics allies

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose an additional 10% tariff on nations who support the BRICS alliance’s policies that conflict with US interests.

Trump has long criticized BRICS, an organization that was created to challenge the US and Western Europe and improve countries’ international status. BRICS members include China, Russia, and India.

“An additional 10% tariff will be applied to any nation that supports the BRICS‘ anti-American agenda. Trump stated on social media that there would be no exceptions to this rule.

Originally scheduled for July 9th, the deadline for nations to reach a tariff agreement with the United States has been rescheduled by U.S. officials to August 1st.

The United States has only signed trade agreements with Vietnam and the United Kingdom thus far. But the United States and Britain are still at odds over levies on US imports of British steel.
Trump has declared a number of import levies on foreign goods since assuming office in January, claiming that these measures will safeguard American jobs and increase manufacturing.
He declared a series of new tariffs on items from all over the world on what he named “Liberation Day” in April, but he swiftly halted his most ambitious proposals to allow for three months of negotiations until July 9.

Trump responded on Sunday when asked if the taxes will change on July 9 or August 1: “There are going to be tariffs; the tariffs are going to be tariffs.”

On Monday, he said, 10 to 15 letters would be sent to countries informing them of the new tariff rate in the event that a settlement could not be reached.

According to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the levies will take effect on August 1.

“President Trump will be sending letters to some of our trading partners saying that if you don’t move things along, then on August 1 you will boomerang back to your April 2 tariff level,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNN on Sunday.

After BRICS members criticized US tariff policies and suggested changes to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the way major currencies are valued, Trump threatened to cut off relations with BRICS countries.

Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates joined the roster of BRICS members last year, joining Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Over half of the world’s population lives in the bloc’s member nations.