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BRICS criticism brings Trump 10% tariff threat, S Africa deplores move

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Banglapress Published: 23 September 2025, 10:25 AM
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BRICS criticism brings Trump 10% tariff threat, S Africa deplores move
  Bangla Press Desk: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday condemned US President Donald Trump's threat of higher tariffs on BRICS nations, saying efforts to "punish" the bloc were disappointing. Trump accused the 11-nation grouping -- which also includes Brazil, Russia, India and China -- of "anti-Americanism" and vowed to impose an extra 10 percent tariff on them after they slammed his levies at a summit in Rio De Janeiro. "BRICS does not seek to compete with any other power," Ramaphosa told South African public broadcaster SABC. The bloc advocates for "the emergence of various centres of power in the world", Ramaphosa said, adding it was "disappointing" that some "see it in negative light and want to punish those who participate in this".
"There should never be vengeance. There should never be retribution against countries that are seeking to cooperate together and to advance the interests of humanity," he said. The grouping, conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, drew Trump's ire on Sunday after voicing "serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff" measures in a summit joint statement. BRICS members account for about half the world's population and 40 percent of global economic output. Conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, BRICS has come to be seen as a Chinese-driven effort to curb US global influence.
But it is a quickly expanding and often divergent grouping -- bringing together arch US foes like Iran and Russia, with some of Washington's closest allies in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Some US allies inside the bloc had tried to blunt criticism of Trump by not mentioning him or the United States by name in their summit statement. Saudi Arabia -- one of the world's biggest purchasers of US high-tech weapons -- even kept its foreign minister away from Sunday's talks and a BRICS group photo of leaders, seemingly to avoid Washington's ire. But such diplomatic gestures were lost on the US president.
Trump also announced he would send on Monday a first batch of letters announcing high tariffs on up to 15 countries that had failed to reach trade agreements with the United States. "It cannot be that might should now be right," Ramaphosa said. This article was originally published on Daily Sun. [Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.] BP/ZE
[Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]

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