Will Trump Save the Dollar or Hand Power to BRICS? What His Next Move Means for the World

The world order is shifting, and BRICS has been at the center of this global realignment. A coalition led by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS has spent the last two years chipping away at the dominance of the U.S. dollar in international trade, threatening the very fabric of American economic supremacy. Now, with Donald Trump eyeing a return to the White House, Russia and China appear willing to open discussions, suggesting a new era of cooperation between this global south bloc and the U.S. But what does this mean? Is this détente, or are we simply witnessing a pause before another seismic shift in the global power structure?

Trump’s return offers potential common ground, but the realities of BRICS’ long-term goals and U.S. economic dominance remain fundamentally at odds. The real question here is whether Trump's diplomatic overtures can truly slow the BRICS de-dollarization agenda or if he's walking into a carefully laid trap by Putin and Xi to weaken the United States from within.

The Rise of BRICS and the Economic War Against the Dollar

BRICS, conceived in the early 2000s, has steadily transformed from a loose economic forum into a powerful coalition determined to dismantle Western financial control. In 2022, Russia, bruised by U.S.-imposed sanctions after its invasion of Ukraine, found its allies in BRICS all too willing to double down on an alternative global financial system—one that reduces or eliminates reliance on the dollar. With China’s Yuan and the rise of alternative trade currencies, the coalition has openly questioned why trade should hinge on Western currencies and institutions.

Their plan? Build an independent financial system that circumvents SWIFT, the Western-dominated international payment network. With BRICS leading de-dollarization, they can reshape global trade, influence markets, and assert themselves as a counterbalance to U.S. power. But now, the return of Trump, a president who has previously expressed skepticism toward interventionism and sanctions, introduces a potential shift in U.S.-BRICS dynamics. Will Trump’s instinct to de-escalate lead him to cooperate with Putin and Xi, potentially at the expense of American economic supremacy?

Putin’s Chess Game: Strategic Engagement or Clever Manipulation?

Vladimir Putin’s recent olive branch to the incoming Trump administration is no simple diplomatic gesture. It’s a calculated move aimed at exploiting divisions within the U.S. establishment. When Putin says he is “ready to speak” with Trump, he is signaling a willingness to work with the U.S.—but only on terms favorable to Moscow and Beijing. Let’s not be fooled here; Putin is not merely seeking cooperation but testing if Trump’s America-first rhetoric will translate into concessions that weaken U.S. influence on the world stage.

For years, Russia has found itself increasingly alienated by Western sanctions, its economy battered by restrictions on its banking sector, energy exports, and tech industry. These sanctions, ironically, pushed Moscow closer to China, solidifying an economic and strategic alliance at the heart of BRICS. The Kremlin sees Trump as a potential ally in dismantling these sanctions, using his critique of “interventionism” as leverage to persuade him that lifting sanctions could lead to peace.

The real prize here isn’t merely an easing of U.S.-Russian relations; it’s an opportunity for Russia to reclaim its place as a global power and for BRICS to accelerate de-dollarization under the guise of cooperation. Putin, ever the strategist, understands that Trump’s anti-establishment rhetoric might weaken America’s hardline stance, giving BRICS an opening to achieve what sanctions prevented: a global realignment that shifts power from West to East.

Trump’s Calculations: “Saving” the Dollar While Playing BRICS’ Game?

Trump’s position on the dollar’s primacy isn’t in question. Throughout his campaign, he declared that losing the dollar as the world’s reserve currency would be akin to America “losing a war.” For Trump, maintaining the dollar’s dominance is a matter of national pride and an assertion of American exceptionalism. Yet, the question remains: how will he reconcile his desire to end sanctions with the BRICS agenda that actively works to dethrone the dollar?

Trump’s rhetoric suggests that he might aim to strike a bargain—perhaps easing sanctions in exchange for assurances from BRICS on dollar support in certain trade scenarios. But let’s not kid ourselves. BRICS isn’t built on compromise; its foundation rests on challenging the existing U.S.-led financial system. Even if Trump gets a handshake agreement from Putin or Xi, it would be naive to think BRICS will backtrack on years of planning and economic restructuring simply because Washington asks nicely. If anything, BRICS leaders could use these discussions to gain time, building alternative systems that chip away at the dollar’s hegemony.

Sanctions: Are They the Real Culprit or Just Convenient Scapegoats?

Supporters of lifting sanctions argue that they are ineffective and harmful to American interests. After all, sanctions drove Russia straight into China’s arms, creating the very alliance that BRICS is today. But what if that narrative is a convenient smokescreen? Sanctions may indeed pressure countries to explore alternatives, but they also prevent rogue states from gaining unfettered access to global markets, stifling their ability to undermine Western interests. To remove sanctions unconditionally would be to ignore why they were imposed in the first place.

Trump’s willingness to consider ending sanctions might appeal to BRICS leaders, but such a move risks exposing American allies to economic retaliation and undercutting the leverage Washington holds over countries that operate outside international norms. Sanctions aren’t perfect, but they remain one of the few tools left in America’s arsenal to counterbalance BRICS’ growing economic aggression.

Can BRICS Really Be “Tamed,” or Are We Headed for a New Cold War?

The implications of a Trump-BRICS détente extend far beyond currency or sanctions. If Trump aligns with Putin and Xi even partially, he risks legitimizing a bloc committed to toppling the financial pillars on which America’s power rests. BRICS is not merely an economic coalition; it’s a vehicle for an anti-Western ideology that seeks to empower authoritarian states at the expense of democratic ones. For two years, BRICS has actively worked to weaken Western financial institutions, promote anti-democratic policies, and embolden leaders who defy human rights and international law.

Any cooperation with BRICS risks opening the door to a new cold war, one not waged with missiles and troops, but with currencies and economic influence. If Trump truly seeks to safeguard the dollar and America’s global position, he must recognize BRICS for what it is: not a potential ally but an ideological adversary aiming to disrupt the very order that America has upheld for decades.

The Stakes: America’s Financial Supremacy or the Rise of a Multipolar World?

Trump’s challenge isn’t merely about balancing interests; it’s about defining America’s place in a rapidly shifting world order. If he fails to navigate these treacherous waters, he risks handing over the reins of global finance to a coalition intent on diminishing America’s influence.

The rise of BRICS, bolstered by Russia and China’s economic ambitions, is a direct threat to the dollar-dominated system that has kept the U.S. at the center of global finance for nearly a century. Trump’s decision, whether to compromise or confront, could determine if America remains the world’s financial superpower or if it succumbs to a new multipolar world where BRICS holds the keys to global trade.

In this high-stakes game, the stakes are clear: hold the line on dollar supremacy or face a world where America’s influence dwindles as BRICS rises. This isn’t diplomacy; it’s an economic battleground where the future of global power is at stake.