Member states of BRICS, the organization of developing countries, have responded immediately to US President Donald Trump’s labeling of the bloc as ‘anti-America’ and his threat to impose additional tariffs. This protest took place on Monday (7 July), the second day of the BRICS summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, according to British news agency Reuters.Denying that BRICS is an anti-American group, a Kremlin spokesperson said the bloc is founded on a common global perspective. They asserted that BRICS does not take positions against any particular country.Criticizing Trump’s tariff threats, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that tariffs should not be used as a tool of coercion. He added that BRICS believes in cooperation where everyone can win and has no intention of targeting any specific country.As of the time of writing, there had been no response from India or Brazil regarding President Trump’s remarks.Brazilian President Lula da Silva said he would issue a formal statement after the summit concludes.On the first day of the summit, Sunday, a joint statement from the bloc’s finance ministers described US tariff policies as a “threat to the global economy,” stating that such measures create uncertainty for international trade and investment activities.In response, on Sunday night, Trump warned that countries supporting BRICS policies contrary to American interests would face an additional 10% tariff. He made it clear that no country would be exempt from this decision.A Brazilian diplomat, speaking anonymously, said BRICS’ main objective is to help developing countries secure fair trade policies and foster mutual understanding in critical sectors like commerce. He added that Trump’s threats risk undermining this objective.Many BRICS members and partner countries remain heavily dependent on the US for trade, which explains their discomfort with Trump’s warnings.Last year, when BRICS countries announced plans to launch their own currency, Trump—before even taking office—immediately threatened them with 100% tariffs. Now, in response to BRICS’ recent criticisms, he has again issued a warning of harsh tariff policies.BRICS member countries include China, Russia, India, South Africa, and Brazil. Recently, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have joined. Together, these countries represent more than half of the world’s population.US trade officials stated that although the deadline for agreeing to a trade deal with the US was originally set for July 9, it has now been pushed to take effect on August 1. So far, trade agreements have only been concluded with the UK and Vietnam, although no final decision has yet been made on tariffs for UK steel exports.Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the new tariffs would take effect from August 1. Trump also said that on Monday, letters regarding the tariffs would be sent to 10 to 15 countries. Since taking office for a second term in January this year, Trump has been imposing tariffs on one import product after another. He claims this will protect American industries and increase employment.
