Trump Clarifies Smartphones Not Exempt from Tariffs, Shifts Focus to Semiconductor Duties
WASHINGTON / BEIJING — Just days after the U.S. government appeared to spare electronics such as smartphones from its new wave of tariffs, President Donald Trump stated that these devices were not exempt but instead being reassigned under a different tariff category, according to a report by BBC News.
Markets in Europe showed signs of recovery on Monday, responding positively to earlier reports suggesting that select electronics would avoid the newly proposed tariffs, some of which could reach up to 145 percent. However, U.S. officials have since clarified that these items will instead face a separate “semiconductor tariff,” with more information expected from Trump soon.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that the upcoming semiconductor levy would add to the broader list of global tariffs introduced earlier this month—though currently paused for 90 days.
Speaking in support of reshoring key technologies, Lutnick stated, “We need our medicines, semiconductors, and electronics manufactured in the United States.”
Devices such as smartphones and laptops heavily depend on semiconductors, which are vital components at the core of modern electronics and computing.
A U.S. customs advisory issued over the weekend had listed smartphones, computers, and other electronics as temporarily exempt from the planned 125% tariff on Chinese imports. In response, China’s Ministry of Commerce referred to the move as a “small step,” adding that they were still assessing its full impact.
However, Trump later contradicted reports of these exemptions, asserting on social media that no such relief was granted. Instead, he explained that these items are being reassigned to a different tariff classification and confirmed a broader investigation into the entire electronics supply chain, particularly semiconductors, under national security considerations.
He added that a detailed update on the semiconductor duties would be shared on Monday.
Xi Pushes Back on U.S. Trade Policies
Meanwhile, during a visit to Hanoi, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Vietnam to collaborate in resisting what he called U.S. “unilateral bullying.” In talks with Vietnamese President To Lam, Xi emphasized the need for strategic unity to protect global trade stability and maintain the integrity of supply chains, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Xi, on a diplomatic outreach across Southeast Asia, positioned China as a steady alternative to what he described as the unpredictable policies of the Trump administration. Writing in Vietnam’s state-run Nhan Dan newspaper, Xi warned that protectionism would yield no victors and only hinder global progress.
Vietnam’s President To Lam echoed the sentiment, stating via the government’s online portal that Vietnam is committed to deeper, balanced, and sustainable cooperation with China.
Vietnam is currently in talks to ease a proposed 46% U.S. tariff set to take effect in July once a global suspension expires. Trade figures show that in the first quarter of 2025, Vietnam imported around $30 billion worth of goods from China and exported approximately $31.4 billion to the United States—highlighting its crucial position in the global supply chain dynamic.
