Donald Trump Slams BRICS: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has stirred fresh controversy by accusing the BRICS alliance—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—of being a strategic coalition aimed at undermining the United States and its economic dominance, especially the global supremacy of the U.S. dollar. In a fiery interaction with reporters on Tuesday, Trump declared that all BRICS nations, including close trade partner India, would face a blanket 10% tariff under his proposed trade policies.
“They (India) have to pay 10 per cent if they are in BRICS, because BRICS was set up to hurt us, to degenerate our dollar, to take it off as a standard,” Trump asserted. “That is okay if they want to play their game, I can play their game too.”
The remark has sent ripples across international economic and diplomatic circles, especially given India’s traditionally strategic partnership with the U.S. Trump made it clear that no exceptions would be made, even for allies like India, if they continued their association with BRICS.
A Direct Challenge to De-Dollarization
Trump accused BRICS of plotting to “destroy the dollar” and replace it with an alternative currency standard. Though he claimed BRICS had “largely broken up,” he maintained that the intent behind its formation was clear—to weaken the U.S. economy and dethrone the dollar from its position as the world’s reserve currency.
“BRICS is not, in my opinion, a serious threat,” Trump said. “But what they try to do is to destroy the dollar so that another country can take over and be the standard, and we are not gonna lose the standard.”
He also issued a stark warning to any country attempting to challenge the dominance of the dollar:
“Countries seeking to challenge the dollar are gonna have to pay a big price.”
Tariff Threat Includes India: No Special Treatment
When asked whether India, a long-standing U.S. trade and diplomatic partner, would be given any flexibility, Trump was unequivocal: the 10% tariff applies to all BRICS members.
“If they (India), they’re gonna have to pay a 10 per cent tariff,” he said.
This hardline stance marks a significant shift from previous diplomatic rhetoric, where India often enjoyed special status in bilateral negotiations due to shared democratic values and economic cooperation.
Swipe at Biden: “We Need a Smart President to Save the Dollar”
The former president also took the opportunity to lash out at his successor, President Joe Biden, suggesting that under his leadership, the U.S. is at risk of losing its monetary supremacy.
“If you have a stupid president like the last one, you would lose the standard. You wouldn’t have the dollars here,” Trump said. “Losing the dollar standard would be like losing a war, a major world war. We would not be the same country any longer.”
He pitched himself as the leader capable of defending the dollar’s global status, reiterating his campaign’s message of strength and economic nationalism.
“The dollar is king. We are gonna keep it that way,” Trump declared.
Global Reactions Expected
Trump’s bold declarations are likely to escalate tensions with BRICS nations, particularly India, which finds itself in a delicate position—juggling strategic autonomy, economic partnerships with both the West and the Global South, and its role in shaping a multipolar world order.
Diplomatic observers suggest that this could reignite debates on protectionism and global trade fragmentation, particularly if Trump returns to office in 2025 and enforces these tariffs.
For now, the international community waits to see whether this is campaign trail rhetoric or a glimpse into the future of U.S. foreign and economic policy.
