WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stern warning, the two-time American President announced an extra 10% tariff on any country that chooses to ally itself with BRICS without any discrimination. The development took place when the BRICS summit kicked off in Brazil where leaders from every country in BRICS met to discuss matters related to trade, diplomacy, and economic development.
The announcement was made through a social media post, POTUS stated that there shall be no exceptions to this policy; it clearly stated that any country that aligns itself with any sort of anti-American policy linking with BRICS shall face the consequences in the form of tariffs. It is pertinent to mention that earlier on BRICS decided to expand themselves to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, and the UAE, and an additional 30 countries expressed interest in partnering up with BRICS.
All BRICS leaders released a joint statement from the summit, they reiterated that tariffs could potentially harm international trade and economic cooperation. The released statement was seen as nothing more than criticism against Trump’s protectionist stance.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva opened the summit by drawing parallels between BRICS and the Cold War-era Non-Aligned Movement. He emphasized the group’s commitment to multilateralism in an increasingly divided world.
He observed that the BRICS countries now represent over half of the global population and contribute approximately 40% of the world’s economic output. He also emphasized the bloc’s role in advocating for reforms in institutions such as the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund.
