Trump vs BRICS: Emerging bloc faces renewed US pressure

As global fault lines deepen, the BRICS coalition—representing more than half of the world’s population—is finding itself in the crosshairs of U.S. President Donald Trump. At a time when the bloc seeks to focus on economic development and climate cooperation, Washington’s escalating rhetoric is adding new pressure on the alliance of emerging powers, according to Foreign Policy.

At the annual BRICS leaders’ summit held in Rio de Janeiro on July 6–7, President Trump issued a sharp warning: countries aligning with the "Anti-American policies of BRICS" could face a 10 percent tariff hike. His comments underscored Washington’s growing unease with the group’s expanding influence.

Once limited to Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS has grown into a formidable bloc aiming to offer a counterweight to the U.S.-led global order. And while the 2025 summit’s host, Brazil, hoped to steer the conversation toward safer ground—focusing on development and environmental issues—the agenda still triggered a reaction from White House.

“Geopolitical uncertainty Trump is causing for BRICS may already be working to his advantage,” wrote Oliver Stuenkel, a longtime observer of the bloc. The tensions highlight how the U.S.’s “America First” foreign policy is reshaping global alignments, even pushing some countries closer to BRICS as a strategic hedge.

Sarang Shidore, writing on the bloc’s potential, noted that while BRICS' concrete successes remain limited, it still holds the promise of reshaping global governance. “The grouping has the potential to shape a new international order,” he emphasized.

For many observers, the current moment evokes memories of the 1955 Bandung Conference—a historic gathering of post-colonial states led by India’s Jawaharlal Nehru, which emphasized value-driven diplomacy and solidarity among developing nations. Galip Dalay, Faisal Devji, and Nathalie Tocci call for a revival of this ethos: “The 1955 conference’s value-based approach to international affairs offers a model for middle powers today.”

Indeed, the gravitational pull of BRICS appears to be growing. Southeast Asian countries are increasingly viewing the bloc as a bulwark against shifting global power dynamics. “The expanding bloc has become a hedge against future geopolitical shifts,” wrote Derek Grossman.

Yet the coalition faces its own internal contradictions. Brazil, India, and South Africa—BRICS' democracies—are struggling to maintain influence within the group’s increasingly autocratic landscape. According to Oliver Stuenkel, they need to re-engage dormant diplomatic platforms to restore balance. “To increase their bargaining power, Brazil, India, and South Africa should resurrect a dormant diplomatic forum,” he argued.

By Aghakazim Guliyev