President Donald Trump warned that countries aligning themselves with what he called the “Anti-American policies” of the BRICS bloc would be hit with an additional 10% tariff, raising concerns for some African countries including South Africa and Egypt.
- Donald Trump announced a 10% tariff on nations aligning with anti-American policies of BRICS.
- BRICS, as an economic group, has expanded to incorporate more member and partner nations.
- The BRICS bloc has criticized increasing tariffs as detrimental to global trade.
President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that countries aligning themselves with what he called the “Anti-American policies” of the BRICS bloc would be hit with an additional 10% tariff, raising concerns for some African countries including South Africa and Egypt.
“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.
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Trump did not elaborate on what specific policies he considers “anti-American,” nor did he name any countries directly.
However, his message comes amid growing geopolitical tensions and the expansion of BRICS, which now includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran.
According to sources, Saudi Arabia has so far held off on formally joining the bloc, despite more than 30 countries expressing interest in joining BRICS as either full members or strategic partners.
BRICS expanding footprint
BRICS, originally a coalition of emerging economies, is increasingly positioning itself as a counterbalance to Western-led institutions, such as the G7 and G20.
With multilateral diplomacy under strain and Trump’s “America First” approach creating further divides, BRICS has attracted countries seeking alternative alliances.
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In a joint statement from the opening of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro released on Sunday, the group warned the rise in tariffs threatened global trade, continuing its veiled criticism of Trump’s tariff policies.
Hours later, Trump warned he would punish countries seeking to join the grouping.
In October, BRICS announced Nigeria, Algeria, and Uganda as new partner countries—seen as a step toward potential full membership, though the bloc has not yet moved forward with formal induction.
