President Donald Trump’s administration exempted smartphones, computers and other electronics of so -called reciprocal tariffs, which can relieve consumer surprise with prices, while benefiting electronics giants such as Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co.
The exemptions, published last Friday by the US Department of Customs and Border Protection, reduce the scope of tariffs, excluding tariff products of 125% over China and the 10% global fare over almost all other countries.
Exemptions apply to smartphones, laptops, hard disks and computer processors and memory chips. These popular electronic items are usually not manufactured in the US. Establishing a domestic manufacturing would take years.
Products that will not be subject to new Trump rates also include machines used to manufacture semiconductors. This is important for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which announced a major new investment in the US, as well as for other chip manufacturers.
Suspension of tariffs may be fleeting. The exemptions result from the initial order, which prevented additional rates on certain sectors from accumulating from the general rates of the country. Exemption is a sign that products may soon be subject to a different fare, although almost certainly a lower rate for China.
One of these exemptions was for the semiconductors, to whom Trump promised to apply a specific rate. He has not done it yet, but the last exemptions seem to correspond to this exception. Trump sectoral tariffs have been established so far at 25%, although it is unclear what your rate on related semiconductors and products would be.
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The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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