Trump Accused of Supercharging BRICS by Ex-Goldman Sachs Chief Jim O’Neill - Here’s Why It Matters
Former President's policies backfire spectacularly as BRICS bloc gains unprecedented momentum
Jim O'Neill drops bombshell accusation: Trump's trade wars and isolationist stance pushed emerging economies into closer alignment than anyone predicted. The very policies designed to assert American dominance instead created the perfect conditions for BRICS consolidation.
Goldman alum reveals uncomfortable truth
The architect of the BRICS acronym doesn't mince words. O'Neill argues that tariff tantrums and diplomatic withdrawals left vacuum that China and Russia eagerly filled. Traditional alliances strained while alternative financial networks gained traction.
De-dollarization accelerates behind scenes
Cross-border payment systems bypassing SWIFT gain ground. Commodity trades increasingly settle in local currencies. Gold reserves accumulate as nations hedge against dollar dominance. The financial infrastructure shift happens quietly but relentlessly.
Wall Street watches from sidelines
Meanwhile, investment banks keep collecting fees arranging dollar-denominated deals—because nothing says 'strategic foresight' like charging 2% while the world order rearranges itself. The real action happens where traditional finance isn't looking.
Geopolitical irony reaches peak levels as anti-globalization rhetoric fuels most significant economic realignment since Bretton Woods. The lesson? In global finance, every action creates equal and opposite reaction—whether intended or not.
Trump’s Trade Strategies Shape BRICS News, Tariffs, And Global Markets
O’Neill highlights a puzzling pattern that’s been emerging in Trump’s treatment of BRICS members. The former president has actually been gentle with China and Russia, while imposing harsh Trump BRICS tariffs on democratic members like Brazil and India.
O’Neill was clear about the fact that:
Brazil now faces 50% tariffs following Trump’s reaction to Jair Bolsonaro’s prosecution, and India received identical penalties despite expectations of favorable treatment. At the time of writing, these moves are being questioned by trade analysts.
Contradictory Approach Creates Market Turbulence
The economic consequences of these policies have been immediate, along with some unexpected market reactions. Following Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, China retaliated and suspended rare earth exports, which caused US markets to plummet and government debt yields to spike.
O’Neill warned about the strategic implications:
Right now, Trump is also targeting smaller economies like Switzerland, even though they hardly matter for the overall US trade balance that Trump claims to care about.
Strategic Risks and Global Realignment
Current BRICS Trump news suggests these policies are actually backfiring on American interests. O’Neill argues that Trump’s approach gives the BRICS+ bloc stronger reasons to develop alternatives to Western-dominated systems, and this could reshape global power dynamics.
The most concerning development involves potential China-India cooperation. Modi’s recent visit to China after seven years coincided with Trump’s harsh treatment of India, potentially pushing the world’s most populous country toward Chinese partnerships.
O’Neill noted:
The Trump Goldman Sachs criticism extends to Trump’s broader diplomatic strategy. O’Neill sees the 2026 G20 hosting opportunity as crucial for demonstrating leadership, but questions Trump’s capability given current policies that alienate allies while accommodating adversaries.
Future Implications for American Influence
O’Neill concluded:
This analysis suggests that Trump’s trade war may actually be accelerating the very global realignment he seeks to prevent, with long-term implications for American economic influence that people are feeling right now.
