Summary
Russia was excluded from Trump’s sweeping tariff list due to existing U.S. sanctions that limit trade, White House officials claimed.
Despite lower trade volumes, countries like Syria were still included, prompting skepticism.
Trump has prioritized ending the war in Ukraine and threatened 50% tariffs on nations buying Russian oil. Russian state media framed the omission as sanctions-based, not favoritism, with some mocking Trump’s harsher stance on allies.
Ukraine, meanwhile, faces a 10% tariff despite the country’s strategic partnership with the U.S.
There’s also a much stronger possibility that Trump simply didn’t want to piss off Putin.
Why are you trying to find a more complicated answer?
Less complicated is:
“Tariff rates go brrrrrr”
“But it’s hard to add this to sanctioned countries because it involves doing work.”
'Then don’t, lol, FTW. Tell Grok to leave them out."
Grok and all appointees involved are idiots
“Here’s a list of important places that need tariffs.”
And you’re back to the “list was generated by AI” conspiracy.
Well, this is an openly jokey theocratical comment, so yeah.