President Donald Trump’s sweeping 125% tariffs on Chinese imports will not apply to smartphones, laptops, and a range of key electronic components, according to updated guidance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The announcement offers relief to major tech firms—most notably Apple—whose supply chains rely heavily on Chinese manufacturing. Without the exemption, the tariffs could have triggered price hikes across popular products such as iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads.
In addition to smartphones and computers, the exclusions cover:
These components are essential not only for consumer electronics but also for industries such as renewable energy, automotive manufacturing, and cloud computing.
Background: Tariffs Sparked Tech Industry Concerns
Trump’s tariff policy—marketed as “reciprocal tariffs”—initially threatened to disrupt U.S. tech supply chains by imposing harsh levies on components mostly sourced from China. Industry leaders warned that the added costs could either be passed on to consumers or cut into company margins.
This partial rollback signals the administration may be willing to carve out strategic exemptions to shield critical sectors from blowback.
Whether the exemption will be permanent or subject to further revisions remains unclear. However, tech investors and manufacturers are viewing the update as a sign of possible flexibility in the broader tariff implementation.
Kosta Gushterov
Reporter at Coindoo
Kosta has been a part of the team since 2021 and has solidified his position with a thirst for knowledge, incredible dedication to his work and a “detective-like” mindset. He not only covers a wide range of trending topics, he also creates reviews, PR articles and educational content. His work has also been referenced by other news outlets.
Source: https://coindoo.com/trumps-125-tariffs-exempt-smartphones-laptops-and-tech-components/