The 17th BRICS Summit took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6-7, 2025, and brought together leaders and representatives from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and newly accepted members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, and Indonesia.
The conference took place amid rising tensions with the United States, following statements from President Donald Trump and the White House claiming that BRICS is attempting to “undermine” US interests on a global scale.
President Trump, through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, made it clear that the administration views BRICS as a coalition set on contesting and potentially undermining American interests. The White House emphasized the president’s commitment to ensuring that America is “fairly treated” abroad, stating that Trump would take any necessary steps to prevent other countries from taking advantage of the United States and its people.
Trump is apparently keeping a close eye on the BRICS Summit and has delivered direct warnings to countries that agree with BRICS’s “anti-American policies”.
Trump then made a big policy pronouncement, declaring that any country that supports the “anti-American policies of BRICS” would face an additional 10% tariff on commodities sent to the US, with no exceptions. This indicates a tightening of US trade policy and demonstrates a readiness to use tariffs as leverage against countries seen to be hostile to American interests.
In a unified statement, the BRICS states expressed strong opposition to unilateral trade and finance-related acts, including tariff increases and non-tariff measures that disrupt trade and violate World Trade Organization (WTO) regulations. The statement emphasized the group’s commitment to a non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable, transparent, and rules-based global trading system, with the WTO at its core.
BRICS leaders stressed their resilience in the face of global economic concerns, promising to continue cooperating both inside the bloc and with other countries. The group warned against trade wars, emphasizing the threat they pose to the global economy, including the possibility of a recession or sustained slow growth.
The United States’ threat of more tariffs has elicited strong reactions from BRICS leaders and other international entities. Brazil’s President Lula da Silva denied that BRICS is “anti-American” and denounced tariffs as a form of coercion. Russia, China, and South Africa all claimed that BRICS policies are intended to undermine any third country, instead claiming that the bloc aims to promote multilateralism and restructure global governance systems to better reflect contemporary reality.
The summit also emphasized the growing prominence of the BRICS, which now account for over half of the world’s population and roughly 40% of global GDP. The group accounts for almost one-quarter of global trade and investment flows, highlighting its importance in the international economic order.
The Trump administration is ready to slap a 10% tariff on any country that supports BRICS’ “anti-American policies,” maintaining a protectionist and confrontational approach in international trade.
The bloc’s membership and influence continue to grow, and it is committed to lobbying for a rules-based global economic system as well as international institution reform.
The increase of tariff threats, as well as the possibility of retaliatory measures, raises concerns about global trade stability and the prospect of wider economic consequences.
Despite the rhetoric, tariffs are unlikely to be imposed immediately unless BRICS members adopt particular anti-American actions. Many member countries are still highly intertwined with the US economy and are working to balance relations.
The 17th BRICS Summit has become a flashpoint for increased tensions between the United States and a group of rising economies. The warnings issued by the US administration, as well as the BRICS bloc’s pleas for multilateralism and fair trade, reflect the shifting dynamics of global power and the ongoing fight over the norms that govern international economic interactions.
