Tariff Relieve On Electronics Temporary, ‘Nobody Is Off The Hook’ Promises Trump

<p>A short-term exemption granted late Friday has given a brief respite to the electronics industry, sparing phones, computers, and other popular devices from steep new tariffs&mdash;for now. However, US President Donald Trump made it clear over the weekend that this relief is not a reversal of his broader trade plan, but a procedural shift within it.</p>
<p>The exemption, which spares key electronics from a 125 per cent tariff on Chinese imports and a 10 per cent levy on products from other nations, is part of a strategy to eventually impose a different kind of duty on the electronics sector, reported Bloomberg.</p>
<p>Trump underscored this on Sunday with a post on social media: &ldquo;NOBODY is getting &lsquo;off the hook,&rsquo;&rdquo; he wrote. The products in question are &ldquo;just moving to a different Tariff &lsquo;bucket,&rsquo;&rdquo; as the administration focuses on &ldquo;Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN.&rdquo;</p>
<h3>Sector-Specific Duties Ahead For Electronics</h3>
<p>The move sets the stage for weeks, possibly months, without the additional tariffs, giving companies some breathing room before new sector-specific levies are introduced. These upcoming duties are expected to be less severe than the initial 125 per cent tariff on Chinese goods. They also create a window for manufacturers and lobbyists to press for carve-outs or adjustments.</p>
<p>While the pause has been welcomed by major electronics firms like Apple Inc, as well as Chinese authorities, the US administration insists that it&rsquo;s a temporary measure. &ldquo;All those products are going to come under semiconductors,&rdquo; said US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on ABC&rsquo;s This Week, emphasising that these goods will receive a &ldquo;special focus-type of tariff&rdquo; aimed at reshoring manufacturing. Lutnick added that semiconductor tariffs are &ldquo;coming in probably a month or two,&rdquo; with a notice set to appear in the federal registry this week.</p>
<p>According to data compiled by Gerard DiPippo, associate director at the Rand China Research Center, the list of exempted items covers nearly $390 billion worth of US imports, including more than $101 billion from China, based on 2024 trade figures.</p>
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<h3>China Responds, But Washington Stands Firm</h3>
<p>The Chinese Ministry of Commerce responded positively, calling the exemption &ldquo;a small step&rdquo; toward correcting what it sees as unfair US trade practices. &ldquo;The US should take a big stride in completely abolishing the wrongful action,&rdquo; the ministry said on its official WeChat channel.</p>
<p>Despite this, US officials continue to frame the move as a calculated transition. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer noted that affected products are not avoiding tariffs altogether but will be &ldquo;under a different regime.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Steel, aluminium, and autos already face sector-specific tariffs, and Trump has indicated similar duties are coming for pharmaceutical drugs, auto parts, lumber, and critical minerals. The administration may also initiate a Section 232 investigation into semiconductors, which could pave the way for more permanent tariffs.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the separate 20 per cent duty on Chinese imports linked to fentanyl remains in force, as does a slate of pre-existing tariffs. &ldquo;Everyone pays at least the 20 per cent,&rdquo; Lutnick confirmed, noting that components under review are now part of a separate Commerce-led process.</p>