'We Don't Want an Emperor' – BRICS Fires Back at Trump's Tariff Threat
13:23 08.07.2025 (Updated: 13:27 08.07.2025)
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'We Don't Want an Emperor' – BRICS Fires Back at Trump's Tariff Threat
The BRICS nations have firmly rejected Trump's warning that countries backing the bloc would face a 10% tariff. In response, they denied being "anti-American" and stressed their commitment to multilateralism, cooperation, and reforming global economic governance.
Here’s how BRICS responded:
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva:
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva:
"It's not right for a president of a country the size of the US to threaten the world online," the president told reporters. He also emphasized that BRICS aims to build alternative frameworks for global economic cooperation — not to oppose the US.
Chinese MFA spokeswoman Mao Ning:
"Trade war and tariff war have no winners, and protectionism leads nowhere. […] BRICS is an important platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries. It advocates for openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation. It is not a bloc for confrontation. Nor does it target any country."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:
"Cooperation within BRICS has never been and will never be directed against any third-party countries. […] It is a grouping of countries that share common approaches and a shared vision of how cooperation should be conducted — based on the interests of each member state."
South Africa's Trade Ministry spokesman Kaamil Alli:
"We are not anti-American. […] We still await formal communication from the US in respect our trade deal, but our conversations remain constructive and fruitful," he told a British media outlet.
Other members and partners:
India did not issue an immediate official response, but PM Narendra Modi, along with other BRICS leaders, signed a joint statement warning against "the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules."
Nigeria reaffirms its alignment with BRICS principles, President Tinubu stated at the BRICS Summit, adding that Abuja is committed "to strategic collaboration that translates into sustainable and inclusive development for all."
Trump's threats came as BRICS concluded its summit in Brazil, where leaders called for global institutional reforms and criticized rising unilateral trade actions.
