U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a strong warning to the BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, and China—threatening to impose a 100% tariff on all imports from these countries if they proceed with plans to launch a common currency. Trump’s sharp remarks, delivered on Thursday February 13, come amid growing tensions over international trade and the future of global currency markets.

"If any trading gets through, it'll be 100% tariff, at least," Trump declared, responding to questions about the BRICS countries potentially creating their own currency. The warning comes just hours before his scheduled meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Washington for diplomatic talks. India is one of the founding members of BRICS, but Trump’s statement shows no signs of softening his stance on trade matters, despite the ongoing diplomatic engagement.

Trump’s rhetoric goes beyond the immediate threat of tariffs on trade with BRICS countries. He further stated, "BRICS is dead," suggesting that any attempt by the bloc to establish a common currency would effectively undermine its relevance and power on the global stage. “BRICS was put there for a bad purpose. I told them if they want to play games with the Dollar, then they are going to be hit by a 100% tariff,” he said. Trump continued with a firm tone, reiterating, “The day they mention that they want to do it, they will come back and say – we beg you, we beg you. BRICS is dead since I mentioned that.”

This rhetoric comes amid an escalating trend of protectionist trade policies from the Trump administration, which has already made waves through reciprocal tariffs and trade war tactics with various nations. Trump’s broader tariff strategy is based on the principle of imposing equal tariffs in response to foreign duties on U.S. goods. “Today is the big one: reciprocal tariffs,” Trump posted on his social media platform ahead of his remarks. He added, “They charge us a tax or tariff, and we charge them the exact tax or tariff. Very simple.”

While the threat of a 100% tariff on BRICS imports is not yet in effect, White House officials have indicated that the U.S. government is actively reviewing the trade relationships with countries that have the highest trade surpluses or impose high tariffs on U.S. products. These include nations such as China, Japan, and members of the European Union. According to an unnamed White House official, the administration is targeting what they consider to be "egregious" trade issues and is prepared to take action soon.