Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Monday (July 7) it was "irresponsible" for U.S. President Donald Trump to threaten countries with tariffs on social media, adding that other nations have the right to reciprocate.

Brazil’s President Lula said global trade should not rely only on the US dollar and urged the need for alternative systems to reduce dependence on it.

On Sunday (6), Trump posted on social media that any country that "aligns with the Brics’ anti-American policies" would face an additional 10% tariff. According to a Brazilian government official, the threat is concrete proof of the need to defend multilateralism and reinforces Brics’ stance against unilateral actions.