Russia Exempted from Trump’s Tariff Tax on World & US Allies

On April 2, 2025, President Trump announced sweeping tariffs – a 10% tax on most imports worldwide with even higher 20-25% tariffs on goods Americans buy from key U.S. allies in Europe and Canada. Notably, Trump exempted Russia from this import tax.

With the stroke of a pen, Trump just made Russian imports into the US 20% cheaper than those from our closest military and economic allies. Russia enjoys one of the largest trade imbalances in the world with the US. The United States' $2.5 billion trade deficit with Russia puts Russia in the top 10% of nations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands before a meeting in Helsinki on July 16, 2018. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP

This unprecedented move carries significant economic risks and strategic repercussions. Tariffs are the equivalent to a tax that raises costs on American consumers and industries, they strain relationships with close allies, and grants a curious advantage to an adversarial trade partner. Taken together, these tariffs risk undermining U.S. economic interests, hurting American consumers, and eroding U.S. leadership and trust on the world stage.

Trump Exempted Russia from His New Tariffs — Giving Putin a Strategic & Economic Gift

Russia was left off Trump’s tariff’s list entirely, meaning their exports to the U.S. are now significantly cheaper than those from trusted allies.
This exemption gives Russia a 20% price advantage — rewarding an adversary while punishing longstanding partners like Canada.

Russia was already a top-25 deficit trading partner of the U.S., with a $2.5 billion trade imbalance — meaning we buy far more from them than they buy from us.

The White House Claimed Russia Was Exempt Due to Sanctions — But Russian Goods Still Enter the U.S.

White House officials said Russia and Belarus were excluded because existing sanctions (for invading Ukraine) meant we had hardly any meaningful trade with those countries. But this is simply not true.
Russia still enjoys the benefits of being one of our largest trade imbalances with the US.
Even small countries with minimal trade, like Mauritius and Brunei, were hit with tariffs, along with countries where the US has a trade surplus (they buy more of our goods).
Exempting Russia while penalizing NATO allies undermines both our moral credibility and our strategic deterrence.

Americans Will Pay Thousands More, While Russia Gains a Market Edge

Tariffs are effectively a tax on consumers. The average U.S. household will pay more than $3,000 annually in increased prices.
Everyday goods like food, clothes, cars, and electronics will get more expensive — hitting middle-class families the hardest.
At the same time, Russian goods will avoid these added costs, giving them a bigger share of the U.S. market at Americans’ expense.
These tariffs also risk supply chain instability, global retaliation, and inflation, putting the broader economy at risk and increasing the risk of a recession.

Tariffs Are Against American Interests

America's economic policy should reflect our strategic priorities and reward those who have proven themselves true friends. When we place unnecessary economic burdens on our closest allies while providing advantages to strategic competitors, we undermine not only our diplomatic relationships but our own economic security.

Imposing higher tariffs on traditional allies like Canada and European partners while exempting the likes of Russia, Cuba, and North Korea others sends a troubling message about America's priorities.

A Call for Patriotic Leadership

As citizens of the United States, we remain committed to the principles that have made America the greatest nation on earth: fidelity to our allies, fairness in our economic policies, and a firm resolve to stand by those who have stood by us. This is not merely good diplomacy—it is the essence of American patriotism and the surest path to continued American leadership in an uncertain world.