The U.S. government’s decision on Friday (April 11, 2025) to temporarily exempt electronics like smartphones and laptops from new tariffs is only a short break before more specific tariffs on semiconductors are added, said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Sunday (April 13).
President Donald Trump and other White House officials played down the impact of the exemption, with Trump saying the goods are just being shifted to another category and will still face a 20% tariff.
The change, which removed electronics from wider "reciprocal tariffs," was seen as helpful for consumer tech companies like Apple, Samsung, and Nvidia. However, it won’t stop the new semiconductor-related tariffs expected in a month or two.
China welcomed the move but said the U.S. should cancel all tariffs. U.S. Customs confirmed the exemption covers items such as smartphones, laptops, hard drives, monitors, and some chips, but not machines used to make semiconductors.
White House officials insisted it isn’t a real exemption. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the items were moved to a new tariff list based on national security.
The back-and-forth has left tech companies and investors confused. The tech sector, including giants like Apple, Microsoft, and Meta, has already lost over $600 billion in value due to ongoing trade tensions.
Apple recently promised to invest $500 billion and create 20,000 jobs in the U.S., which earned praise from Trump. But experts say it’s not realistic for Apple to shift iPhone production to the U.S. quickly.
The unclear policy has caused worry among tech leaders and analysts, who say the uncertainty is making it hard for companies to plan ahead
