U.S. Commerce Warns: Temporary Tech Tariff Exemptions May End Soon

April 13, 2025, 11:20 am

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that the current tariff exemptions for consumer electronics, including laptops and smartphones, are only temporary. The announcement comes as the Trump administration pauses some tariffs while warning that additional duties might return once these provisional measures expire. This update underscores a shifting trade policy that could have significant implications for tech companies and global markets, urging businesses to brace for potential future tariff adjustments.

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Evolving Tariff Policy and Trade Uncertainty

theregister.com / Tech tariff turmoil continues as Trump admin exempts some electronics, then promises to bring taxes back

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techinasia.com / US to impose separate tariffs on exempted electronic products

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wsj.com / Shifting Signals on Tech Tariffs Fuel Fresh Trade Uncertainty

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Temporary Tech Tariff Exemptions

techinasia.com / Trump signals US tech tariff exemptions may be temporary

US tariffs on Chinese imports have reached 145%, while China has imposed a 125% retaliatory rate on US goods.

theverge.com / Smartphone tariffs are coming back in ‘a month or two,’ says Trump admin

Smartphones, laptops, and other products that are exempt from Trump’s April 9th tariffs will be lumped in with duties on semiconductors in “a month or two,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC News anchor Jonathan Karl on This Week. Yesterday, the Trump administration released updated...

appleinsider.com / iPhone & Mac tariff reprieve only temporary

Apple's reprieve from Trump's reciprocal tariffs against Chinese imports of iPhones and Macs is only temporary, as tariffs aimed at semiconductor imports will be arriving within a few months.Tim Cook and Donald Trump in a meeting at the White House in 2018Late on Friday, Apple was granted a massive...

techcrunch.com / Tech tariff exemptions are only temporary, according to Trump’s commerce secretary

The tech industry may not be safe from new tariffs, according to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The Trump administration announced Friday evening that consumer electronics such as laptops and smartphones would be exempt from the tariffs it unveiled earlier this month. (While Trump delayed...


permalink / 21 stories from 10 sources in 16 days ago #hardware #techpolicy #apple #china #semiconductors #bigdata #fintech #analytics #startups #ecommerce #chips #blockchain #crypto #gaming




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