Washington DC: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday launched a fresh attack on the BRICS bloc, calling it “an assault on the dollar” and warning of tariffs on all member nations. The remarks came during a campaign-style event, where Trump claimed that countries were now “dropping out” of the alliance due to his tough trade stance.
Trump slams BRICS over ‘anti-dollar’ stance
“I told anybody who wants to be in BRICS, that’s fine, but we’re going to put tariffs on your nation,” Trump said, according to ANI. “Everybody dropped out. They’re all dropping out of BRICS. BRICS was an attack on the dollar, and I said, you want to play that game, I’m going to put tariffs on all your products coming into the US. They said, we’re dropping out of BRICS… They don’t even talk about it anymore.”
The statement marks Trump’s sharpest criticism yet of the grouping, which he has repeatedly described as a threat to US economic supremacy.
India’s recent call for multilateralism
The comments come just days after India urged BRICS nations to uphold the multilateral trading system and respect international law — a move viewed as a subtle pushback against Trump’s protectionist policies.
While New Delhi clarified that it does not support “de-dollarisation”, the American President reiterated his warning, threatening 100 per cent tariffs on BRICS members if they continued exploring alternatives to the dollar in trade.
BRICS expansion alarms Washington
Originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, BRICS has expanded to include South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, and Indonesia, taking its total membership to ten. Another ten nations, including Belarus, Bolivia, and Malaysia, are recognised as partner states, while countries such as Pakistan and Sri Lanka have applied for full membership.
Washington views the bloc’s rapid expansion as a challenge to the US-led global financial order, particularly given its discussions on establishing a BRICS common currency and promoting trade in local currencies.
Trump, who has long framed his foreign economic policy around “America First” principles, accused the bloc of being designed to “hurt the US dollar” and undermine American influence. “They set it up to degenerate our dollar,” he said, warning that “tariffs will be our answer.”
Potential trade flashpoint
Analysts believe Trump’s remarks could inflame tensions between Washington and several major economies, including India and China, especially if the tariff threats materialise. Economists also warn that renewed trade wars could further strain the global economy, already under pressure from rising energy prices and protectionist measures.