US President Donald Trump has warned that countries aligning themselves with what he termed the “anti-American policies” of the BRICS bloc will face an additional 10% tariff, escalating global trade tensions just days before a sweeping round of levies is due to take effect.

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In a late-night Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump stated that there would be “no exceptions” to the policy, which comes as the US prepares to send formal tariff letters to dozens of nations. The 90-day pause on heightened duties is set to expire on Wednesday, with tariffs expected to begin from 1 August unless new agreements are reached.

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The announcement jolted markets, with the dollar strengthening, metals declining and the Chinese yuan weakening in early trading.

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Trump did not clarify which specific BRICS policies he views as anti-American, nor did he specify when the threatened tariffs might come into force. However, his comments followed a BRICS summit over the weekend, where the group criticised unilateral trade restrictions — seen as a direct rebuke of US tariff strategy.

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BRICS, made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has recently expanded its political statements. The group condemned Israeli and US military actions in Iran and Gaza and called for a ceasefire and humanitarian access in the Palestinian territories. Chinese Premier Li Qiang urged BRICS nations to lead reform in global governance and emphasised peaceful conflict resolution.

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Countries racing to avoid the new tariffs are scrambling to finalise bilateral agreements. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said some nations could be granted a three-week grace period beyond the 9 July deadline, with duties applied from 1 August if deals are not reached.

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The BRICS group, which has long discussed reducing reliance on the US dollar, also reaffirmed its commitment to developing a cross-border payments system — a project stalled for over a decade.

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Trump’s latest tariff threat follows earlier warnings of 100% levies should BRICS move forward with dollar alternatives in trade.

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While BRICS members and other affected nations have so far declined to respond directly, signs of growing unease are evident. An Indonesian government spokesperson said the US and Indonesia are “still working” toward a solution.

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The coming weeks are likely to test both the resilience of US trade diplomacy and BRICS’ ambitions to reshape the global economic order.

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