Russia and North Korea were excluded from Trump's tariff list as neither country engages in meaningful trade relations with the United States.

The Trump administration says sanctions imposed on Moscow mean the U.S. does little trade with Russia, but questions persist about the motivations.

While U.S. President Donald Trump announced tariffs on allies and foes including Europe, India, Japan and China, some of the world's most heavily sanctioned countries - Russia, Belarus, Cuba and North Korea - avoided being singled out for special punitive treatment.