Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arief Havas Oegroseno clarified that recent U.S. tariff threats by President-elect Donald Trump are not exclusively directed at BRICS member countries but also apply to other countries with trade ties to the U.S.

“These tariffs aren’t specifically about BRICS. Non-BRICS countries like Europe, Japan, and Korea could also be affected because they have trade relationships with the U.S.,” Arief said after attending the Business Competitiveness Outlook 2025 event in Jakarta on Monday (13/1/2025).

The clarification came after President Trump criticized BRICS for considering an alternative currency to the U.S. dollar, calling it a challenge to American economic dominance.

Regarding Indonesia’s recent acceptance as a full BRICS member, Deputy Ministery Arief noted that the country is preparing to align with Brazil’s leadership as the current BRICS chair before setting its priorities.

 “We need to understand Brazil's programs first to see how they align with our interests,” he explained, as quoted by antaranews.com.

Indonesia considers that BRICS membership offers significant opportunities for economic collaboration among member countries.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)