According to a report by Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera, the latest twist in the Trump administration's trade war came on Sunday when the U.S. president stated that there would be no exemptions in tariffs, as smartphones, laptops, and other products remain subject to the existing 20% tariffs and are being moved into the new tariff regime.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said, "We cannot allow ourselves to be held hostage by other countries, especially adversarial trade nations like China."
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said he would announce new tariffs on semiconductors next week.
Trump mentioned that these tariffs would come into effect in the near future, though there would be some flexibility for certain companies within the sector.
Previously, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that the exemptions for high-tech products manufactured in China would be temporary, and semiconductor tariffs would be implemented within weeks.
Speaking to ABC News, he said, "That’s why Trump is saying that these (high-tech products) are exempt from retaliatory tariffs, but they are included in the semiconductor tariff rollout, which is likely to come within a month or two—so it’s happening soon."
As a result of trade tensions between the U.S. and China, Washington has increased import taxes on Chinese goods to 145%, while Beijing, in retaliation, has imposed a 125% duty on U.S. imports.
Initially, Beijing welcomed Washington’s exemptions, calling them a small step in the right direction, but also demanded that the Trump administration “fully revoke” the tariffs.
In a notice issued on Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection listed 20 types of high-tech products—including semiconductors, flat panel displays, and computers—that are not subject to retaliatory tariffs.
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