Why is Russia not on Trump's tariff list?

US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff measures sent shockwaves through the world, with many wondering how far reaching the consequences of such a move would be. 

One country, however, has been insulated from it all: Cold War nemesis Russia. 

Russia's exemption has raised quite a few eyebrows, even reviving a recent conspiracy theory. 

The conspiracy theory stems from when former KGB officer Alnur Mussayev claimed that US President Donald Trump was recruited as an asset for Moscow in the 1980s.

Trump has often rubbished the allegation. 

Similar allegations about Trump being a Russian asset have surfaced repeatedly in the past. In 2021, American journalist and author Craig Unger published his book American Kompromat, in which he claims that Trump was recruited by Moscow.

Russia's exemption from Trump's tariff list, however, has far less nefarious roots. 

Speaking to Axios, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said yesterday that Russia was left off because US sanctions already "preclude any meaningful trade." 

Already imposed sanctions meant Russia did not make it to the list, 

Axios noted that the US still trades more with Russia than with countries like Mauritius or Brunei that did make Trump's tariffs list.

But Leavitt also highlighted how Cuba, Belarus and North Korea were also not included because existing tariffs and sanctions on them are already so high.

U.S.-Russia trade plummeted from around $35 billion in 2021 to $3.5 billion as of last year due to sanctions imposed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Just earlier this week, Trump had also threatened Russia with secondary tariffs on oil over Putin's recent comments on Ukraine.

Leavitt told Axios that Russia could still face "additional strong sanctions."

Aside from Russia, Canada and Mexico were also left off Trump's list, with Leavitt confirming that was because Trump had already imposed 25% tariffs on both.