On Friday, April 11, the Trump Administration stated that electronics such as smartphones and laptops will be exempt from reciprocal tariffs, import taxes imposed by one country on goods that come from another.
This move may help ensure that prices stay low on popular consumer electronics that are not typically made in the United States as well as benefit big tech companies like Apple and Samsung. It is the latest change the administration has made that counteracts its initial plan to put tariffs in place on goods from most countries.
While on Air Force One Saturday night, President Donald Trump assured reporters that he would share more specifics regarding the exemptions on Monday, although it remains unclear how long the exemption will last and whether separate tariffs will be negotiated on these products.
In a statement issued on Saturday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt did not directly address the exemptions, but hinted at the Trump Administration’s plan to continue pushing for tech companies to move manufacturing to the U.S going forward.
“President Trump has made it clear America cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones, and laptops,” Leavitt said.
Neither Apple nor Samsung responded to a request for comment Saturday.
“I think President Trump’s tariffs on electronics have both pros and cons,” said junior Dylan Brown. “The push to switch to United States manufacturing will increase jobs and revenue domestically, but it will be at a higher price point. The tariffs eventually get passed onto the consumers, so we will see an uptick in prices as tech companies begin to roll out new products.”
George Triebenbacher contributed to this article.
