Seals & Penguins Bear Brunt Of Trump Tariffs, But Russia And Korea 'Spared'. Here's Why

While US-Russia trade has dropped sharply, America still conducts more business with Russia than with smaller nations like Mauritius or Brunei, both of which were on the new tariff list.

US has exempted North Korea and Russia from the reciprocal tariffs list, while other long-standing allies face duties.

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US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs for nearly every country in the world, imposing at least 10 per cent duty on them, which applied to even the remote, uninhabited Hear and McDonald Islands near Antarctica, where only seals and penguins reside. 

While he did not even spare his longtime allies, notably two countries were were left off the tariff list: Russia and North Korea.

Why Russia Was Exempted?

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, when asked about Russia’s exemption, said US sanctions already "preclude any meaningful trade" between the two nations, Axios reported.

However, this claim by her is not entirely accurate. While US-Russia trade has dropped sharply—from $35 billion in 2021 to $3.5 billion in 2024—America still conducts more business with Russia than with smaller nations like Mauritius or Brunei, both of which were on the new tariff list.

This exemption comes as Russia reportedly asked Trump to ease certain sanctions as part of US-mediated ceasefire negotiations concerning the war in Ukraine. However, the US has yet to take any definitive action in response to the request.

Instead, Trump has recently escalated his rhetoric, threatening secondary tariffs on Russian oil. He also voiced frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he was "very angry" and "pissed off" over Putin’s recent remarks about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Though she did not provide further details, Leavitt added that Russia could still face "additional strong sanctions".

A White House official told The New York Times, "They are already facing extremely high tariffs, and our previously imposed sanctions preclude any meaningful trade with these countries."

Another official said: "Russia is not on this list because sanctions from the Ukraine war have already rendered trade between the two countries as zero."

North Korea Escapes Trump's Tariffs

Spme other countries that were exempted from the latest trade tariffs were North Korea, Cuba, and Belarus, which is believed to be reportedly due to their already heavy existing sanctions.

Canada and Mexico also escaped new tariffs, though they continue to face existing 25 percent duties imposed by Trump previously.

Ukraine, however, was not granted an exemption despite its ongoing war with Russia. The country is now subject to a 10 percent tariff on imports, compounding its economic challenges.

The tariffs announced by the US reflects Trump’s evolving diplomatic posture in his second term, which has included frequent threats against US allies bearing economic and military consequences while extending goodwill to long-standing US adversaries.

His administration has openly sought to realign US-Russia relations, aiming to shift Russia from a rival to a strategic partner, which can be seen by continued engagement with Putin despite Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The new tariff policy includes a 10 percent baseline duty on all US trading partners, with steeper rates for key allies. China faces a 34 percent tariff, while India, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan have been slapped with tariffs between 24 and 32 percent.

One of the most striking developments involves Israel, a close US ally, which now faces a 17 percent tariff, which is higher than the 10 percent rate imposed on Iran. This comes despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent move to eliminate tariffs on US goods, a step taken to avoid US penalties.