Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for threatening to impose tariffs on BRICS nations.
The Brazilian president spoke about Trump recently held BRICS summit that took place in Rio de Janeiro on July 7, 2025.
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Lula called Trump’s threats “frivolous,” “irresponsible,” and “a grave mistake,” arguing that it’s unacceptable for the leader of a major nation to threaten the world via the internet.
He emphasized the sovereignty of BRICS countries, stating, “The world has changed. We don’t want an emperor,” and suggested that if the U.S. imposes tariffs, other nations could retaliate with their own.
Lula also reiterated his push for reducing global trade’s reliance on the U.S. dollar, aligning with BRICS’ broader economic goals.
Trump’s threat came after the BRICS summit’s joint declaration criticized rising tariffs as disruptive to global trade and condemned military strikes on Iran, indirectly targeting U.S. policies.
Trump warned of a 10% tariff on countries aligning with BRICS’ “anti-American” policies, escalating tensions.
Other BRICS leaders, like South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa and China’s Mao Ning, responded more diplomatically, emphasizing the bloc’s cooperative, non-confrontational stance.
The BRICS group, now including Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the UAE, represents over half the world’s population and 40% of global economic output, positioning it as a counterweight to Western-dominated economic forums.