U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on imports from Kazakhstan, part of a broader trade move affecting more than 70 countries. The order, titled «Further Modifying the Reciprocal Tariff Rates,» was published July 31, 2025, on the White House website.
Previously, imports from Kazakhstan had been subject to a 10% tariff.
At the time, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration stated that the new 25% tariff will not impact 95% of the country’s exports to the U.S. Most exported products — including key raw materials and strategic commodities such as oil, uranium, silver, ferroalloys, tantalum and titanium — will remain exempt from the higher tariff.
Trump had earlier notified Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev that the new tariff would take effect Aug. 1, replacing the temporary 10% rate. In a letter, Trump emphasized that the U.S. is not seeking to restrict trade with Kazakhstan, which he described as an important partner despite a trade imbalance favoring Kazakhstan.
The White House justified the tariffs by citing ongoing trade barriers faced by American businesses in Kazakhstan, including both tariff and non-tariff restrictions. Trump noted the new 25% rate could have been higher and warned that any retaliatory measures by Kazakhstan would prompt proportional increases in U.S. tariffs.
In response, Tokayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to fair and mutually beneficial trade, calling the U.S. a long-standing partner in commerce and investment.
In mid-July, Trump also announced plans to introduce «secondary tariffs» of roughly 100% on countries continuing to trade with Russia if President Vladimir Putin fails to agree to a deal to end the war in Ukraine. While Trump initially set a 50-day timeline, he later shortened it to 10 to 12 days.
In 2024, trade between the U.S. and Kazakhstan totaled $4.2 billion, a 4% increase year-on-year. Kazakhstan’s main exports to the U.S. included:
- Crude oil: $1.1 billion (56.2%).
- Uranium: $322.9 million (16.4%).
- Silver: $239.9 million (12.2%).
- Ferroalloys: $188.2 million (9.5%).
- Tantalum and related products: $17.6 million (0.89%).
Between January and May 2025, total trade reached $1.2 billion, with Kazakh exports to the U.S. accounting for $418.2 million.
