Trump administration says it will exclude some electronic devices, including reciprocity tariffs – state

The Trump administration said late Friday that it will exclude electronics such as smartphones and laptops from reciprocity tariffs, a move that could help reduce prices for popular consumer electronics that aren't usually made in the U.S.

This will also benefit large tech companies such as Apple and chipmakers such as Samsung and Nvidia.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says items such as smartphones, laptops, hard drives, tablet monitors, and some chips will be eligible for exemptions. Machines used to make semiconductors are also excluded. This means they will not be subject to the current 145% tariffs imposed on China or benchmark tariffs elsewhere.

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This is the latest tariff change from the Trump administration, which has imposed tariffs on goods in most countries in their massive plan. The purpose is to encourage more domestic manufacturing industries. However, the exemption seems to acknowledge that the current electronic supply chain is almost entirely in Asia, such as transferring it to the United States, where about 90% of iPhones are produced and assembled in China.

The move gradually fades away “the huge black cloud overhang is currently under pressure in the technology field and large U.S. technology,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a research note.

Trump has previously said he would consider exempting certain companies from tariffs.

Neither Apple nor Samsung responded to requests for comment earlier Saturday. Nvidia declined to comment.

The White House did not immediately respond to Saturday's request for comment.