Trump threatens the BRICS of an unprecedented trade war

At the opening of the BRICS summit in Rio, Donald Trump rekindled trade tensions, threatening to surcharge any country aligned on this emerging block. Faced with a coalition that challenges American hegemony, confrontation goes beyond customs prices to affect global power relations. The BRICS intensify their break with Washington, multiplying initiatives to free themselves from the dollar, in a context where the world monetary order is weakening.

BRICS on the defensive in the face of unilateral measures

The summit of Rio, which could turn to disillusionment for the block, opened under close surveillance, in a heavy atmosphere of diplomatic tension. Gathered in Brazil for two days, the leaders of the BRICs have published as soon as a joint declaration expressing their “Serious concerns” Faced with the rise of customs duties imposed unilaterally.

Without ever appointing the United States, the signatories denounce “The increase in unilateral customs and non -customs measures that distort trade”. According to them, these practices harm “Global economic development prospects”. The BRICS, which represent almost 40 % of world GDP and half of the population of the planet, thus intend to make common front, despite sometimes divergent interests.

In this declaration, the members of the block also affirm their commitment to a more equitable economic order. We will remember in particular:

• The explicit denunciation of all forms of disguised protectionism, including non -tariff barriers;
• The call for strengthening South-South cooperation to limit dependence on Western economies;
• The warning against the systemic risks induced by unilateral economic measures, which “Land the rules of global trade” Under the terms of the official press release.

However, this common posture masks a more complex reality. The Rio summit is marked by the notable absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who for the first time since coming to power in 2012, does not attend.

For his part, Vladimir Putin speaks only by videoconference, due to the arrest warrant of the International Criminal Court. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, summit host, opened the debates On a disturbing observation: “We are witnessing an unprecedented collapse of multilateralism”. In the corridors of the summit, the difficulty of producing a unified line on sensitive subjects, such as the conflict in Gaza or relations with Iran, illustrates the growing heterogeneity of the group.

Trump relaunches prices war: an assumed economic strategy

The American reaction was not long in coming. A few hours after the publication of the BRICS press release, Donald Trump A declared Via its social network: “Any country aligning with the anti-American policies of the BRICS will be applied an additional customs right of 10 %. There will be no exception to this policy ”.

In stride, he has published The copy of an official letter addressed to South Africa, announcing a customs surcharge of 30 % applicable in August. According to the American secretary to the Treasury Scott Bessent, from surcharge of up to 50 % will come into force on 1^er August 2025 if no agreement is concluded by then with the business partners.

Faced with this escalation, the responses of the great emerging powers remain measured. China, through the voice of its spokesperson Mao Ning, stressed that “Trade and tariff wars do not make winners”calling for “Winning-win cooperation”. The Kremlin, meanwhile, recalled that “The interaction within the BRICS has never been and will never be directed against third countries”.

If the American announcements came to materialize, they could lead to a major strategic realignment in international exchanges. For the BRICS, these tensions strengthen the need to accelerate cross -border payments in local or digital currencies. Some analysts already mention a possible revival of the BRICS joint currency project, or at least increased interoperability between their respective CBDCs.

In the wake of these developments, blockchain infrastructure could play an increasingly central role to facilitate bilateral trade outside SWIFT system, in particular via DEFI protocols or stablecoins not indexed to the dollar. If this war war is confirmed, it could well mark a decisive step in the dedollarization of the global economy, and position crypto as new instruments of international economic arbitration.