US says it will exclude some electronics from ‘reciprocal’ tariffs

The Trump administration says electronics such as smartphones and laptops will be excluded from ‘reciprocal’ tariffs, a move that could help keep prices down for popular consumer electronics that are not usually made in the US.

The announcement late on Friday would also benefit big tech companies such as Apple and Samsung.

US Customs and Border Protection said items such as smartphones, laptops, hard drives, flat-panel monitors and some chips would qualify for the exemption. Machines used to make semiconductors are excluded too.

That means they will not be subject to the current 145% tariffs levied on China, or the 10% baseline tariffs elsewhere.

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Exemptions

Mr Trump previously said he would consider exempting some companies from tariffs.

The move takes off “a huge black cloud overhang for now over the tech sector and the pressure facing US big tech,” said Wedbush analyst Dan Ives in a research note.

Neither Apple nor Samsung responded to a request for comment early Saturday. Nvidia declined to comment.

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