Washington: Hours after the BRICS bloc condemned the increase of tariffs, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose an additional 10 per cent tariff on countries aligning themselves with the “anti-American” policies of the grouping.
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 on Sunday night.
BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, with Indonesia joining in 2025.
Trump also said in a separate post that the US will send out “letters” on tariffs and deals to various countries beginning Monday. “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 PM (Eastern), Monday, July 7th. Thank you for your attention to this matter! DONALD J TRUMP, President of The United States of America,” he said.
The BRICS bloc on Sunday condemned the increase of tariffs and attacks on Iran, but refrained from naming Trump. The group’s declaration, which also took aim at Israel’s military actions in the Middle East, also spared its member, Russia, from criticism and mentioned war-torn Ukraine just once.
The two-day summit was marked by the absence of two of its most powerful members. China’s President Xi Jinping did not attend a BRICS summit for the first time since he became his country’s leader in 2012. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who spoke via videoconference, continues to mostly avoid travelling abroad due to an international arrest warrant issued after Russia invaded Ukraine.
