By Marcus Moloko
U.S President Donald Trump has declared that any country joining the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) bloc would face punitive tariffs.
The U.S president was clear during a bilateral lunch with Argentine President Javier Milei at Mar-a-Lago that the BRICS alliance was “an attack on the dollar” and “anti-United States.”
“I told anybody who wants to be in BRICS, that’s fine, but we’re going to put tariffs on your nation. Everybody dropped out. They’re all dropping out of BRICS. BRICS was an attack on the dollar. And I said, you want to play that game, I’m going to put tariffs on your, on your, all of your product coming into the U.S.”
The exchange has triggered diplomatic ripples across the globe, particularly among BRICS members, including South Africa, India, China, Russia, and Brazil.
At the meeting with Argentine President Milei, Trump reiterated his belief that BRICS undermined the dollar’s global role.
South Africa, one of the founding BRICS members, may find itself in a precarious position. As Trump threatens 10% tariffs against BRICs-aligned nations, meaning Pretoria must weigh its commitment to the potential trade clash.
While South Africa may need to relook at its messaging as it advances, Trump’s threats could impact sectors such as mining, agriculture, and manufacturing.
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