Shashi Tharoor Responds to Trump’s 100% Tariff Threat for BRICS Nations: ‘Seems Empty’

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s recent warning of 100% tariffs against BRICS nations if they pursue de-dollarisation, calling it an “empty threat” due to the lack of any concrete plan. Trump had warned that BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—would face severe tariffs if they moved away from the US dollar in international trade.

Tharoor remarked that Trump’s threat seemed hollow, as no serious proposal or action was underway from the BRICS nations to replace the dollar. He added, “Until there’s an actual proposal, why should we worry?” India, according to Tharoor, does not support such a move, and discussions on alternatives like the Rupee-Ruble or Rupee-Riyal trade with Russia and Iran have been limited to localized examples. He also emphasized that the US dollar continues to be a practical necessity for most countries in global commerce.

Trump had previously claimed in a post on Truth Social that if BRICS countries attempted to replace the US dollar with a new currency, they would face steep tariffs and be cut off from the US economy. He warned that such a move would be disastrous for BRICS nations, adding that there was “no chance” the US dollar would be replaced in international trade.

While some BRICS nations, like Russia and China, have shown interest in exploring alternatives to the dollar, India remains opposed to any such plans. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reiterated in December that there was no such proposal under consideration by the Indian government.

News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”