Trump exempts computers, smartphones, and more from tariffs

Amidst the flurry of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration over the last few weeks, we finally have some exemptions that should significantly impact the tech sector. While the initial reciprocal tariffs will remain for imports, U.S. Customs and Border Protection shared some new exemptions on tech-related goods.

The update was announced yesterday evening and follows various tariff increases, particularly on Chinese imports. The exemptions include many products we're excited to see get some relief. The complete list is available in the official bulletin, but it includes computers, smartphones, semiconductor chips, and other tech goods like flat panel TVs, solar cells, and flash drives.

The most recent tariff increase from Trump was 145% on Chinese goods. This sent waves across the tech industry, as many realized the significant impact it would have on many tech products that we rely on, including laptops, desktops, CPUs, semiconductor chips, and any PC component. Large companies like Apple, HP, Dell, and more preemptively imported extra stock before the tariff announcement to skirt some of the impact.

These exemptions should benefit industry leaders and consumers alike, who have been anticipating serious price hikes on imported products. This should offset the price increases for customers and manufacturers who rely on imports for construction materials.

The United States imports around 66% of its tech goods from China, which caused significant concern when tariffs were first announced and subsequently raised on Chinese imports. We recently reported expectations that consoles, monitors, and laptops would be among the most impacted.

Many tariffs initially imposed on April 5th will be reduced for 90 days, but tariffs on China have continued to increase. This exemption list is the first we've seen concerning the tariff situation with China. That said, tariffs will remain in place for all other imports not included in the exemption list.

The situation is subject to change, but we'll report any significant updates on the tariff situation as things progress, so be sure to check back regularly for more information.