US President Donald Trump announced a plan to impose an additional 10% tariff on any country aligning with what he termed the “Anti-American policies of BRICS.” The statement came as BRICS leaders convened in Rio de Janeiro and issued a joint declaration criticizing unilateral protectionist actions, including the rise of reciprocal tariffs and trade restrictions that violate WTO rules.

While Trump did not specify which BRICS policies he opposes, former US trade negotiator Stephen Olson noted that Trump may be responding to BRICS' desire to move beyond a US-led global system. In response, China stated its firm opposition to using tariffs as coercive tools, warning that arbitrary tariff actions are not beneficial to any party.