The Trump administration announced on Friday that they would be excluding electronics such as smartphones and laptops from “reciprocal” tariffs. This decision is expected to help keep prices down for popular consumer electronics that are not typically manufactured in the United States. The exemption will also benefit major tech companies like Apple and Samsung, as well as chip makers like Nvidia.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection clarified that items like smartphones, laptops, hard drives, flat-panel monitors, and some chips will be eligible for the exemption. Machinery used in semiconductor manufacturing will also be excluded. As a result, these products will not be subject to the current 145% tariffs imposed on China or the 10% baseline tariffs applied elsewhere.
President Trump had previously mentioned the possibility of exempting certain companies from tariffs. This recent development has been described as lifting a significant burden from the technology sector and alleviating pressure on U.S. Big Tech, according to Wedbush analyst Dan Ives. Neither Apple nor Samsung has responded to requests for comments, and Nvidia declined to provide a statement.
