US President Donald Trump has taken credit for disrupting the Brics alliance’s goals by asserting that he had warned of imposing tariffs on any nation joining the group, which he characterized as an assault on the dollar. “I informed any country interested in joining Brics that it’s acceptable, but we will levy tariffs on your country,” Trump stated during a meeting with Argentinian President Javier Milei at the White House.
Trump mentioned, “Everyone withdrew. They are all pulling out of Brics. Brics posed a threat to the dollar, and I stated that if you want to engage in that, I will impose tariffs on all your goods entering the US.” Trump claimed that his threat prompted countries to reconsider their involvement in the economic coalition led by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. “As I said, they decided to withdraw from Brics… It is no longer a topic of discussion,” he remarked.
These statements by the president come amid ongoing worldwide discussions regarding the bloc’s advocacy for alternative trade systems challenging US financial supremacy. Trump, known for using tariffs as a diplomatic tool, portrayed his remarks as a triumph for the dollar and American economic influence.
Trump has reinforced his stance on tariffs against Brics nations, particularly India, referring to the group as “anti the United States.” He even indicated a potential 10% additional tariff on countries aligned with Brics policies.
Despite this, India has maintained a more cautious and reconciliatory position. External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar stated, “We acknowledge the role of the dollar and have no objections to it.” “We are not looking to undermine the dollar,” he added. However, Jaishankar’s statements were made in March 2025, before tensions escalated between New Delhi and Washington. Subsequently, US-India trade relations have significantly deteriorated following Trump’s imposition of high tariffs on Indian exports due to New Delhi’s continued procurement of Russian oil.
Initially comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, Brics expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, and in 2025, Indonesia joined the group.