“Russia could still face additional strong sanctions,” Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary.
MEDIAITE
The White House is facing scrutiny after President Donald Trump’s new global tariffs, issued Wednesday, notably excluded Russia. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the omission, telling Axios the existing sanctions against Moscow “preclude any meaningful trade.”
However, the justification raised questions, as U.S. trade with Russia remains higher than with some small territories, like Tokelau and Svalbard. Leavitt pointed to other nations, including Cuba, Belarus, and North Korea, that were also excluded due to high existing restrictions.
“Russia could still face additional strong sanctions,” Leavitt added, referencing Trump’s recent frustrations with President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war. Trump expressed anger at Putin, calling his remarks on Ukraine “pissed off,” and even suggested secondary tariffs on Russian oil.
Critics argue that the omission is a political move, despite the significant drop in U.S.-Russia trade from $35 billion in 2021 to $3.5 billion last year.