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

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.

The White House defends Trump's decision to exclude four countries, including Russia and North Korea, from the new import tariffs