As usual, Trump doesn't go a week without turning the world upside down with a statement. This time, he said it bluntly: he intends to impose a 10% tariff on imports from BRICS countries. There was no preamble or careful calculations, just a direct threat, as if to say, "Either you play to my mood or suffer the consequences."
Of course, anyone who knows Trump knows that he loves the policy of incentives with a stick, and whenever he feels things aren't going his way, he threatens to impose tariffs. He believes that countries like China, Russia, India, and even Brazil and South Africa are benefiting from the American market without paying, as he puts it, a "fair tax." But 10%? That's a big number, and its impact will be widespread, not just on the BRICS countries; even American citizens will feel it immediately.
Interestingly, Trump didn't provide any precise details, nor did he say when, how, or on which specific goods. All he said was that there must be a "fair trade system," and that America would no longer open its doors to countries that, as he put it, "manipulate the markets." But this isn't new; it's the same rhetoric he's been repeating since his first term, especially in his battles with China.
The strange thing is that the world today isn't the same as it was before. The BRICS group has grown larger and stronger, is trying to create a parallel economic system, and dreams of breaking free from the dollar's dominance. A threat like this could push them closer together, turning the game against America instead of a mere side trade war.
Elon Musk lost more than $15 billion of his fortune after saying he would create a new party.
And the markets? Of course, they were already affected by the mere statement. Investors don't like such talk, as it creates uncertainty. Everyone is waiting to know: Is Trump serious? Will he start a new tariff war if he returns to the presidency? And is America really able to bear the consequences of this decision? Even many American factories and companies depend on imports from these countries.
Frankly, what's happening makes you wonder: Will the world be able to breathe again, or will we fall back into the same vicious cycle that began in 2018? There may be no clear answer yet, but one thing is certain: the 10% threat will not go unnoticed, and everyone is on high alert, from world leaders to shop owners to ordinary consumers who might find a simple item like a microwave or T-shirt more expensive because of a quote Trump said in a TV interview.