Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Read original
🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
President Donald Trump said tariffs will still target phones, computers, and other electronics, despite a temporary exemption announced over the weekend. Confusion followed conflicting messages from Trump and his top advisers, as the administration now signals that levies on major tech products are still in the works. The move comes as the U.S.-China trade war escalates and tensions rise over new tariff rounds.
What to Know:
- The U.S. briefly paused tariffs on some consumer electronics over the weekend.
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed those products will still face tariffs, just under a separate policy.
- Trump said there is “no exception” for tech goods and hinted at broader tariff plans tied to national security.
- China responded with new duties on U.S. imports, raising some to 125%.
- A 10% baseline tariff remains on affected U.S. imports since April 5.
- Under the USMCA, compliant North American goods remain tariff-free; others face tariffs up to 25%.
Stay with Newsweek for the latest.
List of products exempt from Trump tariffs including smartphones, laptops
The Trump administration has issued a temporary exemption for a wide range of electronics—including smartphones and laptops—from sweeping tariffs, offering relief to tech companies and consumers amid escalating trade tensions with China.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) updated its tariff guidelines Friday night to list 20 product categories exempt from the “reciprocal” tariffs introduced under Executive Order 14257.
The exemptions, effective retroactively from April 5, apply to goods such as automatic data processing machines, semiconductors, and flat-panel displays.
“These products are subject to the existing 20% Fentanyl Tariffs, and they are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket,'” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations.”
The White House confirmed that tariffs collected after April 5 on these items will be refunded through standard Customs procedures (White House Memorandum). Trump and his officials have insisted the relief is temporary (USA Today), with new semiconductor-focused tariffs expected within months.
Read the full story by Dan Cody on Newsweek.
Read the full article here
