US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Feb 13) delivered a stark warning to BRICS nations threatening to impose a 100 per cent tariff on all imports into the United States if they proceed with launching a common currency. He also dismissed the bloc’s significance in an emphatic declaration, stating bluntly: “Brics is dead.”
The remarks came just before Trump’s scheduled meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a key founding member country of the BRICS.
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BRICS is dead
Dismissing the intergovernmental organization, Trump said that “Brics was put there for a bad purpose”.
“I told them if they want to play games with the Dollar, then they are going to be hit by a 100% tariff,” he announced.
“The day they mention that they want to do it, they will come back and say – we beg you, we beg you. Brics is dead since I mentioned that…” said the US President, referring to the BRICS nations’ plans to launch their own currency like the Euro used by EU nations.
“Play with the dollar and get hit with 100% tariffs”
US President Donald Trump says BRICS is ‘dead’ after warning member countries over dollar and tariff
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(Video: news agency ANI) pic.twitter.com/JMPto1chlj— WION (@WIONews) February 13, 2025
Trump reiterated his position, doubling down on his claim that any move to challenge the US dollar’s dominance would lead to severe economic repercussions for Brics members. “Brics is dead the minute I mentioned that if they mess with the dollar, they will get 100% tariffs. Brics is dead,” he repeated.
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His comments directly addressed concerns that Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa might be exploring the creation of a unified currency, a move that some experts believe could weaken the dollar’s global standing. Trump, however, made it clear that such ambitions would come at a steep price.
“If any trading gets through, it’ll be 100% tariff, at least,” he warned, signalling that his administration would take a hardline approach to any perceived threats to US financial supremacy.
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Trump’s hardline stance comes just hours ahead of his scheduled meeting with Indian PM Modi. His rhetoric showed no restraint, as Trump highlighted his administration’s commitment to imposing strict trade measures and announced “reciprocal tariffs” that could target both allies and rivals.
“Today is the big one: reciprocal tariffs,” Trump wrote on his social media platform ahead of the announcement. “They charge us a tax or tariff, and we charge them the exact tax or tariff. Very simple,” he announced.
(With inputs from agencies)