Trump Announces Tariffs on Kazakhstan Exports
US President Donald Trump pledged a new tariff rate for Kazakhstan exports from August 1, in a statement that will likely have more diplomatic than economic consequences.
In his July 7 letter to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Trump warned of an upcoming 25% tariff on goods from Kazakhstan.
Trump argued that the US-Kazakhstan trade relations have been “far from reciprocal” and that the US “must move away from these longterm, and very persistent, Trade Deficits” as a result of Kazakhstan’s tariff policies on US products.
In 2024, Kazakhstan exported $2 billion worth of goods, primarily oil ($1.1 billion), uranium ($322.9 million), and silver ($239.9 million).
These tariffs will not impact all exports to the US, however. In April Kazakhstan’s ministry of trade reported that 92% of Kazakhstan’s exports to the US will not be affected by prospective higher tariffs because of exemptions for certain products including petroleum, raw materials, and minerals. The tariffs will only affect 4.8% of exports to the US, according to Kazakhstan's government.
Among the most vulnerable companies is wheat gluten producer BioOperations, 40% of whose exports go to the US, according to Tradereport.kz.
Trump’s 25% tariffs are actually a decrease from the 27% tariffs he announced in April. But he warned that any retaliatory action will result in higher tariffs. Since Trump’s executive order in April, Kazakhstan has not imposed any new tariffs to US goods.
Thirteen other countries received similar letters on the same day, including South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and South Africa.