Great BRICS nation replies to Trump’s tariff threat
(MENAFN) Indonesia has affirmed its commitment to BRICS membership even in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose additional tariffs on countries aligned with the bloc. State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi stated on Wednesday that Jakarta is prepared to accept the consequences of its decision to join BRICS, which it did as a full member in early 2025.
Trump recently warned that nations siding with BRICS—which he accused of promoting “anti-American policies”—could face an extra 10% import duty. Prasetyo, speaking to reporters as quoted by the Jakarta Globe, said Indonesia views such tariffs as expected pushback and is ready to face them.
Indonesia and South Africa were reportedly the only BRICS members among 14 nations that received advance notices from Washington about steep tariff increases set to begin on August 1. Indonesia could see a 32% tariff rate, potentially rising to 42% if Trump follows through on his threat.
Despite the looming trade penalties, Prasetyo noted that the tariffs aren't yet finalized and confirmed that Indonesia has dispatched its economic minister to Washington in hopes of negotiating improved terms.
At the recent BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, member states—including Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa, and the UAE—criticized the rise in unilateral tariffs, warning that such measures could disrupt global trade and damage supply chains.
Trump further escalated rhetoric against BRICS on Tuesday, accusing the group of trying to “destroy” the U.S. dollar, vowing to resist any such efforts. BRICS countries have been working to decrease reliance on external currencies—especially the U.S. dollar—in trade, particularly after the U.S. and EU froze Russian dollar- and euro-denominated assets following the Ukraine war escalation in 2022.
BRICS leaders have pushed back against accusations of targeting the dollar, arguing that the politicization of the U.S. currency is what truly undermines its global role. Russian President Vladimir Putin echoed this view, stating that Moscow did not choose to abandon the dollar—Washington effectively forced its hand by restricting access. He added that the global move toward alternative payment systems is a natural response to U.S. financial sanctions and cannot be undone through new economic threats.
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