Trump's reciprocal tariffs: Smartphones, laptops, chips exempted in latest move

The US administration, under President Donald Trump, has officially exempted smartphones, computers, and key electronic components from sweeping from reciprocal tariffs, including the 125% levy recently imposed on imports from China.

In a notice issued late Friday, the US Customs and Border Protection clarified that mobile phones, laptops, semiconductors, solar cells, and memory storage devices will not be subjected to either the global 10% tariff or the heightened rate applied to Chinese goods.

The decision comes after strong pushback from major US tech companies over the potential impact of rising gadget prices on both businesses and consumers.

China remains a dominant manufacturing base for many American tech giants. For example, Apple sources around 80% of its US-bound iPhones from Chinese factories, with the remainder coming from India, according to Counterpoint Research. Apple alone accounted for over half of all US smartphone sales last year.

Also read: Tariffs or Transformation? Understanding Trump’s bold trade move and what it means for India

Facing the tariff threat, Apple has reportedly accelerated its efforts to ramp up production in India, while other manufacturers like Samsung have been diversifying into Vietnam and other Asian countries to reduce dependency on China.

While tariffs on Chinese imports were raised to a steep 145%—citing China’s retaliatory 84% tax on American goods—President Trump offered a 90-day suspension on higher tariffs for all other countries that had not responded with their own levies. These countries will temporarily face only a flat 10% import duty until July.

According to the White House, the reprieve is a strategic move to secure better trade terms. Trump has defended the tariffs as a necessary corrective to long-standing global trade imbalances, arguing they are key to reviving American manufacturing and employment.

Also read: 'Will ignore further hikes': China hits back at US with 125% retaliatory tariff as trade war worsens