Trump exempts smartphones, computers from tariffs

The USA, which is engaged in a trade war with China, decided to exempt smartphones and computers from additional tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, reducing the cost impact on US citizens.

The exemptions, published late Friday in a notice from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, cover various electronic goods, including smartphones and components entering the United States from China, which are currently subject to an additional 145% tariff.

Semiconductors are already exempt from this tariff, as well as from the 10% additional tariff that applies to most of Washington DC's trading partners.

The exemptions narrow the scope of the 10% across-the-board tariffs announced by President Donald Trump earlier this month, and the additional punitive tariffs on goods imported from China.

Trump targeted China in particular through "reciprocal tariffs," aimed at addressing practices Washington deems unfair, the latest was imposing new 125% tariffs on goods from the world's second-largest economy, which took effect this week.

These tariffs are in addition to a previous 20% tax imposed by Trump due to China's alleged role in fentanyl supply chains, as well as other existing tariffs from previous administrations—bringing the total rate to at least 145% for many products.

Many of the exempted products, including hard drives and computer processors, are not generally manufactured in the United States.

While Trump has pointed to tariffs as a way to bring manufacturing back to the United States, boosting domestic manufacturing will likely take years.