Donald Trump Threatens 100% Tariff on BRICS Countries If They Discard US Dollar

US President-elect Donald Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social that he would charge a 100 percent tariff on BRICS nations if they pursue efforts to move away from trading in the US dollar. Trump said any attempt to create a new BRICS currency or back an alternative to the dollar would result in significant economic consequences for the countries involved. It bears mentioning that Pakistan last year applied for membership in BRICS alongside 29 more countries. In his post, Trump stated, “The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER”. Trump said such nations would lose access to the US economy and that the US dollar was irreplaceable in global trade. Trump’s statement comes as the US maintains substantial trade relationships with BRICS members like China and India. In 2022, U.S.-China trade amounted to $758.4 billion, while US-India trade totaled $191.8 billion. This is Trump’s second tariff-related threat this week. BRICS recently expanded its membership to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The bloc has been exploring “de-dollarization” to reduce reliance on the US dollar in global transactions. So far, the framework comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa,