United States President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, 6 July, that the US will levy a stiff 10 additional tariff on any nations that align with what he labelled as the anti-American policies of the expanding BRICS coalition, creating sharp new friction just as leaders gather in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro for their summit.
According to Reuters , Trump's declaration on Truth Social comes following mounting US tariff pressure, with a deadline for retaliatory tariffs on dozens of trading partners on 9 July.
It comes after the BRICS bloc, which is now Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the UAE, issued a joint caution against rising tariffs that threaten global trade.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva linked the bloc's global role to the Non-Aligned Movement, advocating for multilateral diplomacy following rising protectionism and global conflict . Meanwhile, leaders in Rio addressed issues ranging from AI regulation and WTO reforms to climate action via a proposed Tropical Forests Forever Facility.
The Rio summit's opening declaration voiced stern opposition to any unilateral tariff or non-tariff barriers that distort global trade and undermine WTO rules, an implicit critique of U.S. policy. Brazil's Lula emphasised autonomy and multilateralism, warning that global governance must reflect a more multipolar world. Summit participants also addressed key concerning subjects, including condemning attacks in Gaza, defending Iran's peaceful facilities, and exploring initiatives like AI oversight and trade dispute resolution .