BRICS Leader Defiantly Tells Trump: 'The World Does Not Need an Emperor'

The BRICS group of emerging economies has staunchly rejected accusations from US President Donald Trump that they are "anti-America," with Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declaring, 

"The world has changed. We do not need an emperor." The defiant remarks came at the close of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, following renewed threats from President Trump to impose additional tariffs on member states.

When pressed by reporters on Trump's tariff warnings, President Lula, whose country currently chairs the BRICS bloc, directly challenged the US stance. 

He characterised BRICS as "a group of countries that want to find other ways to organise the world from an economic perspective," suggesting this ambition might be the source of "discomfort" for some.

Back in February, Donald Trump had cautioned BRICS nations that they would face "100% tariffs" if they sought to undermine the US dollar's role in global trade. 

This warning came despite President Lula having previously tempered calls for a common BRICS currency, a proposal floated by some members last year.

However, on Monday, Lula reiterated his conviction that global trade requires viable alternatives to the US dollar.

"The world needs to find a way for our trade relations not to go through the dollar," he told journalists. "Evidently, we must be responsible in doing this carefully. Our central banks must discuss this with central banks from other countries. That's something that will gradually happen until it unifies."

Other BRICS members also offered more nuanced rebukes to Trump's assertive posture. 

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, stated in Beijing that "the US should not use tariffs as a tool for coercion and pressure," adding that "BRICS supports win-win cooperation and is not aimed at any specific country." 

Similarly, a Kremlin spokesperson affirmed that Russia's cooperation within BRICS is founded on "a shared worldview" and "will never be aimed at a third country." 

India has yet to officially respond to Trump's accusations.

Amidst the G7 and G20 forums – groups of leading economies – often facing deadlock due to divisions and Trump's "America First" approach, BRICS has sought to position itself as a champion for multilateral diplomacy, particularly in an era of escalating conflicts and trade disputes.

A joint statement released on Sunday afternoon saw the summit leaders condemn a recent bombing attack on fellow member Iran and warn that rising tariffs pose a threat to global trade – an indirect but clear criticism of Trump's protectionist policies. 

Hours later, Trump issued his own warning, vowing to penalise countries attempting to join the BRICS group.

As of 1st January, nine new countries – Thailand, Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Uganda, Malaysia, and Uzbekistan – officially joined the "BRICS Alliance."