The Trump administration has announced that various electronic devices, such as smartphones and computers, will be exempt from tariffs imposed on China.
A breaking news posted Friday night by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency revealed that certain products will be exempt from customs duties. Customs exemptions for certain products “applies retroactively to April 5th.” According to axios. Products are exempt from recently applied duties, but customs duties prior to April 2 still apply.
White House press chief Karoline Leavitt explained in a statement that President Donald Trump has “cleared it.” The United States explained that it cannot rely on China to manufacture important technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones, laptops, etc.
“President Trump has made it clear that the US cannot rely on China to manufacture important technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones and laptops,” Levitt said in a statement. “That's why the President has secured trillions of dollars in US investment from the world's largest tech companies, including Apple, TSMC and Nvidia.”
CNBC It has been reported Guidance from the US CBP “includes exclusion of other electronic devices and components, including semiconductors, solar cells, flat panel television displays, flash drives, and memory cards.”
“Companies are trying to direct manufacturing into the US as quickly as possible,” explained Kush Desai, deputy press director of the White House.
The outlet explained that “20 product categories listed in the CBP guidelines are clearly exempt.”
The 20 product categories listed in the CBP guidelines appear to be clearly exempt from the 125% tariffs imposed by Trump on Chinese imports and the 10% baseline tariffs on imports from other countries. A 20% tariff on all Chinese products remains in effect.
The president's memorandum states Trump I explained it:
In Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025 (revising trade practices to rectify trade practices that contribute to large and enduring US commodity trade obligations to import under regulatory import imports and mutual tariffs), I declared a state of national emergency arising from conditions reflected in large and sustained US commodity trade obstacles, imposing additional territory of Valerum that relies on other parts. To the US and the US national security and economy.
In an executive order of 14257, I stated that certain products were not subject to Ad Vlorem's obligation rate under that order. One of those exceptions is “semiconductors.” Subsequent orders issued in connection with Executive Order 14257 – namely, Executive Order 14259 of April 8, 2025 (amendments to mutual tariffs and updated obligations applicable to less valuable imports from the Republic of China), and Executive Order 14257, including “semiconductors.”
As John Hayward of Breitbart News previously reported, China recently raised tariffs on US imports to 125% after Trump added “to the 20% tariffs applied in February and March,” after which it was added.
