Trump signs executive order imposing tariffs on Kazakhstan

Tengrinews.kz – U.S. President Donald Trump has signed executive orders imposing tariffs on a dozen countries, including Kazakhstan.

The relevant documents were published on the White House website. The import tariffs range from 10 to 41 percent. For Kazakhstan, Donald Trump introduced tariffs of 25 percent.

According to media reports, the orders were signed just hours before August 1 began in the United States — the final deadline set by Trump for tariff agreements.

In early July, Donald Trump notified Kazakhstan of the tariffs in his message to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. “Please understand that these Tariffs are necessary to correct the many years of Kazakhstan's Tariff, and Non Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, causing these unsustainable Trade Deficits against the United States. This Deficit is a major threat to our Economy and, indeed, our National Security!” the U.S. leader wrote.

Later, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration stated that “the new tariffs will not affect about 95 percent of Kazakhstan’s exports to the United States” and that key raw materials and strategic goods, such as oil, uranium, silver, ferroalloys, tantalum, and titanium, are exempt from the tariffs.

Background: The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the United States in 2024 amounted to $4.2 billion, which is 4 percent higher than in 2023. The main export items remain oil (56.2 percent of the total volume), uranium (16.4 percent), silver (12.2 percent), ferroalloys (9.5 percent), and tantalum products (0.89 percent). From January to May 2025, trade turnover amounted to $1.27 billion, with exports from Kazakhstan to the United States reaching $418 million.