Indonesia has declared its readiness to navigate the repercussions of its affiliation with the economic alliance.
Indonesian State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi affirmed that Indonesia will maintain its membership in BRICS, even if US President Donald Trump proceeds with his threat to levy additional tariffs on the group.
Earlier in the week, Trump had warned that he would impose an extra 10% duty on any nation that “aligns itself” with BRICS, which he claimed is pursuing “anti-American policies.”
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Prasetyo stated that Indonesia, which joined the bloc as a full member in early 2025, views the potential extra US tariffs “as part of the consequences of joining BRICS.”
“We will have to face it,” the state secretary was quoted as saying by the Jakarta Globe.
Indonesia and South Africa were the only two BRICS nations among 14 countries that recently received letters from the US, warning of significant tariffs commencing August 1. Washington indicated that Jakarta would initially be subject to a 32% rate, which could escalate to 42% should Trump’s threat of additional duties on bloc members materialize.
According to Prasetyo, these tariffs are not yet definitive. He added that Indonesia has dispatched its economic minister to Washington to negotiate more favorable terms.
During the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro over the weekend, member states—Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russian Federation, South Africa, and UAE—issued a declaration condemning the “indiscriminate rising of tariffs,” asserting that such actions could reduce global trade and disrupt supply chains.
In another critique of BRICS on Tuesday, Trump accused the bloc of attempting to “degenerate” and “destroy” the US dollar, vowing that he is “not going to let that happen.” BRICS nations intensified their efforts to decrease reliance on third-party currencies in bilateral trade after the US and EU froze Russian assets, primarily held in dollars and euros, as part of sanctions following the February 2022 escalation of the Ukraine conflict.
BRICS leaders have consistently stated they have no interest in undermining the dollar, contending that the US currency’s strength can only be weakened by its politicization.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously stated that Moscow never decided to abandon the dollar but was instead prohibited from using it by Washington. According to the Russian leader, the global shift by countries to seek alternative payment methods—a direct result of Washington’s “weaponization” of its currency—cannot be reversed through more restrictive measures.