The absence of Russia on the president’s new list of countries that he’ll hit with steep tariffs did not go unnoticed on social media. Critics were quick to accuse Trump of kowtowing to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Trump has for years expressed his admiration of.

White House officials have circulated internal talking points telling surrogates that President Donald Trump’s new global tariff regime should not be characterized as a starting point for negotiations, according to three people with knowledge of the matter.