As US Dominance Runs Into BRICS Wall, Trump Threatens Added Tariffs: Here's What's Happening
Trump has expressed his concerns about de-dollarisation, stating, 'BRICS is not, in my opinion, a serious threat, but what they try to do is to destroy the dollar so that another country can take over and be the standard, and we are not gonna lose the standard. If we lost the world standard dollar, that would be like losing a war, a major world war; we would not be the same country any longer. We're not going to let that happen. The dollar is king, we're going to keep it that way."
The BRICS response to Trump's 10% tariff threat has been swift and firm. Brazilian President Lula da Silva called it 'very mistaken and very irresponsible", stating, 'The world has changed. We don't want an emperor. We are sovereign countries." In a joint statement, BRICS leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, voiced serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules. Although the statement did not directly name the US, it referenced the increasing use of tariffs in global trade.
Despite Trump's claims that BRICS is not a serious threat, his perception is influenced by the bloc's ability to undermine the dollar. Trump is targeting BRICS due to the mention of Iran in the BRICS joint declaration, condemning US and Israeli attacks on Iran's civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities as a violation of international law. Additionally, the growing influence of BRICS and its followers disturbs the balance of power for the West, particularly the US. The grouping was always meant to counteract the wealthy West, particularly the G7, and now poses a challenge to US dominance by discussing displacing the dollar and developing an alternative payment framework.
The increasing influence of BRICS over emerging economies makes it harder for the US and other Western nations to dictate terms in trade deals. BRICS has grown since its establishment as BRIC in 2009, with Brazil, Russia, India, and China as the founders, and South Africa joining in 2010. BRICS+ members include Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran in 2024, and Indonesia in 2025. Another 10 countries, including Thailand, Malaysia, Cuba, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, have 'partner" status, while Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Venezuela seek membership but are not yet part of the group.
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