How a Blacklisted Russian Firm Won (and Lost) a Break From Trump’s Tariffs

The swamp has new creatures. Conspiracies are transparent but hard to prove. This is so transparent. 20th submission was accepted because of persistence?

With apologies to George Orwell in his 1945 Animal Farm: "some companies are more equal than other companies." Willy, nilly Trump Tariffs. Who wins? Who loses? Who decides? Two Robber Barons, Wilbur Ross and/or Steve Mnuchen? Welcome to Trump's swamp.

I don’t understand why Rusal was allowed to submit 19 more applications after the first was denied. This has to be a costly process that we tax payers are paying for.

Customs Duties were the main source of federal government revenue during the Washington administration. Things have changed since then. Tariffs have always been schemes of corporations to use the power of government to attack competition; when political leaders respond to the influence, the result is chain reactions of unintended bad consequences. The modern world has other means to address unfair trading situations. Perhaps what is needed is reform at the WTO. The shame is that the GOP, not so long ago, was the champion of free trade, capitalism; had office holders who professed some principles separate from the god-almighty-dollar. The really big shame is that this is a diversion; it seems the entire GOP has gorged on the kool-aid of climate change denial, convinced by money, not by argument. The whole world is laughing at us, our great-grandchildren will not regard us well.

Geez, how shady can the Trump Administration be!! Thank goodness we have watchdog groups and Democratic and Republican Congresspeople who are willing to also watch this slimy, crooked Administration. We need to get rid of this Administration--vote in November!!

No American manufacturer objected because they know that Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin sends his foes to hospitals, mental institutions, prisons, urns and coffins. Putin could send you a gift of bullets, Novichok or polonium - 210. Or a listening or seeing device. Since we can't see Trump's personal and family income tax returns and business records we have no idea how the Trump tariff scheme impacts the Trump Organization. MAGA!

Kudos to Elizabeth Warren. And the folks still doing their job within our U.S. government. Oh, and you guys -- the 4th Estate!

I am sure this company is part of the inner circle of Russian Associates for Trump. This wasn't done by accident its all part of the grand plan not to make Putin angry . Its all about the Russians being happy with this administration no matter what the Trump lies told to the American people are all about. Thank God for a true American, Mueller who by the way was in the military in support of his country. No five time deferments for foot issues. None of the phony statement about standing for the flag to distract people from the real issues Trump has created. So since the Russians have received what they wanted are we going to find the missing children who were being abused by the American Trump administration?

A cynical person might think that the tariff’s are a way to enable graft and corruption. Why in the world would the Russian firm Rusal get an exclusion? The tariff’s potentially enable the administration to have a pay to play approach that also could penalize companies that don’t pay. Imagine the money that could be made in the stock market if insiders know what companies are given exclusions from the tariffs.

Talk about a Deep State shadow government with the V.A. being run by the Mar a lago gang, 200k a year membership. Insider trading by his first biggest supporters. Merchandising the White House and connections,Don has brought back Tammany Hall bigger and better than the old one. This isn’t a swamp it’s a cesspool.

Excellent reporting, Ms. Sullivan. How on earth they got an exception in the first place when they are specifically sanctioned reeks of just more corruption in the Trump administration.

Lyin' Wilbur Ross is the head of this department. Maybe he met Deripaska at the Bank of Cyprus and they became best buds.

So then, tariffs only count if an American company objects to the Russian company trying to do business with us, am I understanding this correctly? Otherwise, all the Russian companies have to do to be exempt from the tariffs is to apply for an exception? Wow, Trump, that'll show 'em what a tough dude you are!

There should be a publicly posted list of all companies in all countries that are forbidden from doing business in the US under various sanctions schemes. And someone should be charged with monitoring them to chase name changes or other corporate changes made to avoid sanctions. This is a matter of national security, perhaps some of the resources sent to the military could be diverted for this purpose, assuming of course, that the administration has not already gutted various agencies to the point where they no longer can do their jobs. This list should be public and should be specifically provided to the Commerce Department, IRS, National Security departments etc. and they should be responsible for enforcing those sanctions in their own jurisdiction. Unfortunately, a government that cannot track children literally kidnapped from their parents by Homeland Security seems also unable to enforce sanctions mandated by Congress. Like the immigration fiasco, this failure to enforce sanctions smells to high heaven.

Why is no mention made of Wilbur Ross’s millions of dollars in theft proior to becoming Secy. of Commerce as reported in multiple news outlets; nor any mention made of Ross’s involvement in signing a finding that aluminum and steel were a national security issue, thereby giving DJT the ability to deal with sanctions single-handedly?

Tariffs due to national security issues. What happens when our own government and it’s “policies” become a threat to our national security? Everything from tariffs, climate change denial, environmental irresponsibility, human kidnapping, purposely dividing and stirring the population unrest.

Good to know our government policies are now subject to direct approval and/or modification by private businesses. It's nice to see such a direct payoff for contributions.