Stopping BRICS: America’s Battle to Keep the Dollar King
By Hotspotnews
America has led the world economy for generations, and the biggest reason is simple: the US dollar is the king of currencies. Everyone uses it for oil trades, international deals, and storing wealth. But right now, that crown is under attack from BRICS—Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and the newer members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. These countries are aggressively pushing de-dollarization. They want to trade among themselves using their own currencies or brand-new systems that leave the dollar out completely.
This is a direct threat to American power and prosperity. If they succeed, our ability to borrow cheaply, fund our military, and punish rogue nations through sanctions will take a major hit. Everyday Americans could face higher prices and a weaker country. As conservatives, we must stand firm and stop this cold. Here’s the hard truth about what BRICS is doing, why Brazil’s President Lula is one of the most dangerous players in this fight, and how America is finally pushing back.
BRICS packs serious weight: roughly 45 percent of the world’s population, 35 percent of global GDP (when adjusted for purchasing power), and 43 percent of crude oil production. Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, they’ve poured gas on their de-dollarization fire. Today, over 90 percent of Russia-China trade happens in yuan or rubles—no dollars needed. Russia and India settle oil deals in rupees. Brazil and China increasingly use reals and yuan. In total, 85 to 90 percent of major BRICS trade in energy and commodities now bypasses the dollar.
They’ve already rolled out real tools: a blockchain payment platform called BRICS Pay that avoids American banks, and a new digital settlement token called the BRICS Unit. In 2026, with India in the chair, they’re going all-in on building a full cross-border digital network outside our control.
The most dangerous cheerleader for this anti-dollar agenda inside BRICS is Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Lula is deliberately steering Brazil deeper into the group, forging tighter bonds with Russia and communist China, and buying massive amounts of discounted Russian oil—saving Brazil $2.5 billion in 2025 alone. His “multipolar world” rhetoric is code for weakening American leadership and ending dollar sovereignty. By keeping Russian war funds flowing and helping build alternatives to the dollar, Lula is actively working against vital US interests. His leftist foreign policy puts ideology over Brazil’s long-term good—and over America’s security.
Lula’s track record makes him even more troubling. He was convicted in the massive Operation Car Wash scandal for corruption and money laundering, including accepting a luxury beachfront apartment as a bribe from construction giants. He spent more than a year in prison before Brazil’s Supreme Court annulled the convictions on technicalities, citing judicial bias. Many conservatives, in Brazil and abroad, see strong evidence of deep corruption that was swept aside for political reasons. His current administration has been hit by fresh scandals, including a billion-dollar social security fraud that cost ministers their jobs.
To protect the dollar and stop BRICS, taking Lula out of power—through the ballot box—is critical. Brazil’s next presidential election is in October 2026. At age 81, Lula plans to run again, but recent polls show his lead shrinking against strong conservative challengers like São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas, a pro-market reformer. If America’s new sanctions hit Brazil’s exports hard, economic pain could turn voters against Lula’s risky love affair with Russia and China.
That’s where real American leadership comes in. President Trump is backing a powerful bipartisan bill—the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025—led by Senators Lindsey Graham (Republican) and Richard Blumenthal (Democrat). As of early January 2026, Trump has given it his full support, paving the way for a fast Senate vote. The bill authorizes tariffs up to 500 percent on goods from any country still buying Russian oil or uranium. That hammer falls directly on big BRICS buyers like China, India, and especially Brazil. It cuts Russia’s war cash, forces painful choices on Lula and others, and cracks the unity BRICS needs to kill the dollar.
We can’t stop there. America must keep producing and exporting energy like natural gas to replace Russian supplies. We should deepen alliances with BRICS waverers like India through trade, tech, and security deals. And we must grow our economy strong at home—low taxes, less regulation, innovation—so the dollar stays the safest, most attractive currency on earth.
Conservatives know appeasement doesn’t work. If we sit back while Lula and BRICS chip away at dollar sovereignty, we hand our enemies a massive victory. But with tough sanctions, smart diplomacy, and victory in Brazil’s 2026 election, we can break their momentum and keep America first.
The dollar isn’t just money—it’s our strength. Let’s defend it with everything we’ve got.