President Donald Trump has threatened to impose new 10% tariffs on nations aligning with what he described as the “anti-American policies of BRICS,” escalating tensions with emerging economies and potentially upending fragile global trade negotiations.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday night, Trump declared:

“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.”

President Donald Trump

The threat follows a BRICS summit in Brazil, where member states—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—condemned the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and demanded Israel withdraw from Gaza. They also called for a permanent ceasefire and voiced “grave concern” over the humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Global Markets React

Trump’s statement prompted a minor uptick in the U.S. dollar, while metal prices fell and China’s yuan weakened. Markets remain on edge ahead of the July 9 deadline, when the current U.S. 90-day pause on tariff hikes ends. The administration will begin sending tariff warning letters to dozens of countries starting Monday.

While Trump didn’t specify which BRICS-linked policies would trigger tariffs, analysts believe the comments target BRICS’s push for a non-dollar trade system and its criticism of U.S. military interventions.

The BRICS bloc is increasingly advocating for alternatives to Western-led global governance. Chinese Premier Li Qiang stated the group should lead efforts to reform global institutions and promote dispute resolution through “just and peaceful” means.

Meanwhile, Trump has previously threatened 100% tariffs if BRICS nations drop the U.S. dollar in bilateral trade. The group is now exploring a cross-border payment system to reduce dollar dependence, though progress has been slow.

Race to Avoid Tariffs

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted that some nations may receive a three-week extension to finalize trade deals ahead of the August 1 implementation date. However, the overall direction suggests a growing hardline U.S. stance toward non-aligned and emerging economies.

As one Singapore-based analyst warned, “Trump’s comments are a warning shot for emerging market nations looking to go down the BRICS alignment path.”