Leaders of the BRICS group of emerging economies meeting for their annual summit had hoped to downplay any differences with the U.S. But even a toned down group proclamation drew the ire of President Trump.
Brazil’s president says the BRICS group of major emerging economies has just concluded its most important summit yet.
But what was billed as a historic show of strength and unity ended in tension after President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs. „Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy“, he wrote on Truth Social — without clarifying which policies he meant.
That drew swift pushback from Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who hosted the summit and called Trump’s comments reckless.
„We don’t want an emperor, we are sovereign countries“, Lula said during his closing remarks on Monday, adding: „It’s not right for a president of a country the size of the United States to threaten the world online.“
The annual BRICS summit—gathering founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, plus new members including Indonesia, Ethiopia and Iran—aimed to present a unified Global South alternative to the West.
But in an apparent attempt to avoid provoking Washington, the group issued a low-key final statement that avoided naming Trump or directly criticizing the U.
