On July 9 President Trump announced a new 30% tariff on Iraq. This was actually lower than the 39% tariff imposed in April. The tax did not include oil which is the main product the United States buys from Iraq. That caused confusion in Baghdad as to what the point of the action was.
Iraq exports around 200,000 barrels a day of oil to the U.S. earning $4.5 billion a year. It also sells dates and amber rice to America. Most of those go through third parties before they arrive in the States making it unclear how they will be affected by the tariffs.
President Trump doesn’t understand trade and believes that other countries are being unfair to America. He imposed tariffs on places where there are no people and countries where the United States has a trade surplus. The taxes on Iraq will have little impact since they don’t include oil providing another example of how pointless the administration’s policy is.
SOURCES
Fitzgerald, Kyle, “Trump unveils 30% tariff on Iraq in latest batch of trade letters,” The National, 7/9/25
Al Mada, “Trump’s tariffs on Iraq: Political pressure or a commercial maneuver to counter Chinese influence?” 7/13/25
Mahmoud, Sinan, “Iraq unfaced by US tariffs, but sees opportunity to reform trade,” The National, 7/10/25
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