The Trump administration has announced that electronics imported into the U.S. will be exempt from its newly imposed tariffs. A notice from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, posted late Friday, states that items like smartphones, computer monitors, and electronic parts will not be affected by the new trade duties. This exemption applies to goods entering the U.S. or being moved out of warehouses starting April 5.
Just days earlier, the administration had set a minimum 145% tariff on Chinese imports. However, this exemption does not apply to the separate 20% tariff on Chinese goods related to the country’s role in fentanyl production.
The move is seen as a big win for tech giants such as Apple, which relies heavily on Chinese manufacturing. Around 90% of Apple’s iPhones are assembled in China, according to Wedbush Securities.
“This is the best news possible for tech investors,” Wedbush said in a statement Saturday. “Companies like Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft, and the whole tech industry can finally relax a bit.”
Apple did not comment, and Nvidia and Microsoft declined to respond.
Counterpoint Research estimates that Apple has about six weeks’ worth of iPhone inventory in the U.S. Without the tariff exemption, prices might have increased once that supply ran out.
Meanwhile, the White House says Trump will continue pushing companies to move production back to the U.S.
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Read more“America cannot depend on China to make critical technologies,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. She mentioned that Trump has secured large investments from companies like Apple, Nvidia, and TSMC to bring production home.
Trump had hinted at possible tariff exceptions on Friday, telling reporters on Air Force One, “There could be a couple of exceptions for obvious reasons, but I would say 10% is a floor.”
Economists warn that tariffs often result in higher prices for consumers. That concern has already led to a rush in buying electronics and other big-ticket items. Consumer confidence has dropped as many fear rising prices.
Nintendo recently delayed preorders for its new Switch 2 console to assess the impact of tariffs. Originally priced at $450, experts now say it could cost closer to $600 if tariffs are applied.
The Trump administration believes these tariffs will boost U.S. manufacturing and bring back jobs. But not everything can be easily made in America — especially products like microchips and semiconductors, which are mostly manufactured in Asia due to lower costs.
Luckily for tech, these parts are also on the exemption list. This benefits global chipmakers such as TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix.
The White House added that Trump will soon order a study to look at the national security effects of semiconductor imports — a move known as a “Section 232 study.”
Trump also criticized the Biden administration’s $6.6 billion grant to TSMC for building a chip plant in Phoenix under the CHIPS and Science Act. He said he never gave TSMC any money but instead warned the company it would face heavy tariffs — possibly up to 100% — if it didn’t build its plant in the U.S.
