Trump threatened BRICS with 10% tariffs and mocked their efforts to reduce dollar reliance, calling the bloc fragile. BRICS leaders rejected his claims and reaffirmed their push for financial independence through tools like BRICS Pay. With expanded membership and deeper cooperation, BRICS is positioning itself as a real alternative to Western dominance.
In response to Donald Trump’s bold claim that BRICS would “collapse quickly” if it ever became truly functional, member countries of the bloc pushed back firmly. Trump had threatened a 10% tariff on imports from BRICS nations and dismissed their moves to reduce reliance on the US dollar as ineffective.
But BRICS nations immediately rejected the accusations, reaffirming their commitment to financial independence. The “BRICS Pay” system—designed for cross-border transactions using local currencies—is actively under development. While the plan for a joint currency was shelved, the coalition continues to aggressively pursue de-dollarization and deeper multilateral cooperation.
In 2025, BRICS—now expanded beyond its original five—has emerged as a serious challenge to the unipolar financial order. Once seen as an uneven alliance, it now represents a determined front for Global South collaboration and a rising alternative to Western economic dominance.