In an early Saturday report of Bloomberg, the Trump administration revealed that popular consumer electronics such as smartphones, laptops, and computer chips will be excluded from its sweeping 125% reciprocal tariffs on Chinese goods and the 10% baseline tariffs on other countries. The move is expected to provide temporary relief for both consumers and major tech manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC).
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection published the list of exclusions, confirming that the levies will not apply to smartphones, laptops, hard drives, computer processors, and memory chips. These items, which are rarely manufactured domestically, would have faced significant price hikes had the tariffs been enforced.
The decision also covers semiconductor manufacturing equipment, a key component for companies like TSMC, which is in the process of ramping up U.S. investments in domestic chipmaking capabilities.
While the exemption appears to shield tech giants and consumers for now, it may only be temporary. The exemptions were tied to the original order that aimed to avoid stacking tariffs on certain product categories. As a result, the reprieve may eventually be replaced with new, more targeted tariffs — particularly on semiconductors — which Trump has repeatedly signaled as a future focus.
So far, Trump’s sector-specific tariffs have been set at around 25%, but there is no official word yet on the exact rate that would be imposed on semiconductors and related technologies.
The White House has not issued an official comment on the matter.
