04/14/2025

Phones, Other Electronics Exempt from New Tariffs, Trump Administration Says

The exemptions fly in the face of earlier remarks that specific exemptions wouldn't occur

The Trump administration has spared smartphones, computers and other electronics from what the White House calls “reciprocal” tariffs, a move that experts said Saturday will grant U.S. technology companies like Apple a reprieve from the steep hikes imposed on China.

The directive, issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, identifies nearly two dozen exemptions, including chips, flash drives and TV displays. President Donald Trump directed there be refunds for any duties that were collected on the exempted products since April 5.

The announcement follows Beijing’s raising tariffs on U.S. goods to 125 percent in response to Trump’s escalating trade war, with China’s State Council warning Friday that it will “fight to the end.” The exemptions also come days after U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told senators that “the president has been clear with me and with others that he does not intend to have exclusions and exemptions."

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.