Trump Threatens 10% Tariffs Against BRICS Amid Rio Summit Tensions

President Donald Trump has threatened to impose an additional 10% tariff on any country aligning with what he describes as the "anti-American policies" of the BRICS bloc, which includes major emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil, and South Africa. This threat follows the BRICS 2025 Summit in Brazil, where leaders condemned recent US-Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities and criticized rising tariffs and unilateral sanctions, which they view as damaging to global trade and inconsistent with WTO rules. China responded by emphasizing that BRICS seeks no confrontation and warned that trade wars have no winners, while countries like Malaysia reaffirmed their independent foreign policies despite engaging with BRICS initiatives. The tariff threat has sparked market reactions, including declines in industrial metals like copper and aluminum, amid concerns about escalating trade tensions. The US Treasury Secretary announced that tariff letters would be sent to up to 15 trade partners, with revised tariffs taking effect in August, though some countries might negotiate extensions. Overall, the situation underscores rising geopolitical and economic friction between the US and the BRICS coalition as the latter asserts its global influence.