Trump Backtracks on Own Electronics Tariff Exception List

US President Donald Trump has reversed course on the tariff exemptions announced on Friday, April 11, 2025, which initially suggested that certain electronics, including PCs, would be exempt from the country’s 145 percent tariffs on Chinese goods.

On his social media Trump stated there was no exemption for these products, calling such reports about this notice false. He also said that “they are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket’”.

On top of that, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick revealed in an interview with ABC News that a new “semiconductor tariff” is in the works, though specific details have not yet been finalized.

“We need to have semiconductors, we need to have chips, and we need to have flat panels, we need to have these things made in America. We can’t be reliant on Southeast Asia for all of the things that operate for us,” said Lutnick.

In an interview with CBS News, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer clarified that the semiconductor tariff did not constitute a true exemption for Chinese electrical goods, stating, “That’s not really an exception, that’s not even the right word for it.”

There’s no detail yet on when this semiconductor tariff will be introduced. It is worth noting that earlier today, Sony announced the increase of PlayStation 5 prices in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand due to a challenging economic environment, inflation, and fluctuating exchange rates.