Donald Trump’s new commerce crackdown had one eyebrow-raising omission: Russia.
The absence of Russia on the president’s new record of nations that he’ll hit with steep tariffs didn’t go unnoticed on social media. Critics have been fast to accuse Trump of kowtowing to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Trump has for years expressed his admiration of.
White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios the explanation for Russia’s exclusion was that financial sanctions imposed on the nation following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine already “preclude any significant commerce.”
U.S.-Russia annual commerce has been reduced to only $3.5 billion per 12 months.
Cuba, North Korea and prime Russia ally Belarus have been left off Trump’s new tariffs record for a similar motive, said Leavitt.
