Trump Admin Exempts Laptops and Other Consumer Electronics From New China Tariffs
|
|
- Trump exempts smartphones, laptops, and chips from new China and global tariffs.
- Nintendo delays Switch 2 preorders in the U.S. and Canada; Razer halts U.S. laptop sales.
- Customs glitch prevents tariffs from being collected, adding confusion for importers.
The Trump administration has issued tariff exemptions for smartphones, laptops, and other consumer electronics, shielding popular products from a planned 125% import duty on goods from China.
The decision, published late Friday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, also exempts these items from a separate 10% global tariff. The reprieve covers smartphones, laptop computers, hard drives, processors, and memory chips — products that are largely manufactured overseas and difficult to relocate to domestic facilities in the near term.
According to Bloomberg, electronics companies such as Apple and Samsung stand to benefit from the move, which may help avoid price increases for American consumers. Exemptions also include semiconductor manufacturing equipment, a significant break for chipmakers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which has ongoing investments in U.S. production capacity.
However, the relief may be temporary. Officials indicated the exemptions stem from technical restrictions in the initial order that prevent multiple tariffs from stacking. The affected products may soon face a separate, potentially lower tariff rate targeting China.
While Trump has previously pledged tariffs specifically on semiconductors, no rate has been finalized. Sector-specific tariffs currently stand at 25%, but it remains unclear what rate may apply to chips and related components in future actions.
In response to the newly imposed tariffs by the Trump administration, Nintendo has delayed preorders for its upcoming Switch 2 console in both the United States and Canada. Originally scheduled to begin on April 9, 2025, the preorders were postponed as the company assesses the potential impact of the tariffs on pricing and market conditions. The Switch 2 was initially priced at $449.99, but the final price for US customers remains unclear. Despite the delay in preorders, Nintendo has confirmed that the launch date remains unchanged.
Similarly, gaming hardware manufacturer Razer has halted direct sales of its Blade 16 and other laptops in the U.S. market. The company’s website no longer offers these products for purchase, displaying a “notify me” option instead. This move aligns with the implementation of new tariffs affecting electronics imported from countries like China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Meanwhile, despite President Donald Trump’s public insistence that new tariffs are active and being collected, a technical glitch has prevented U.S. Customs and Border Protection from implementing them at ports. According to The New Republic, due to a nonfunctional entry code used to process tariff exemptions for U.S. shipments, no duties are currently being charged, according to agency officials. The situation has added further confusion for shippers, many of whom report not seeing tariff hikes on containers even days after the supposed start date. With Trump frequently altering tariff rates through executive orders and social media posts, industry professionals say they’re struggling to interpret inconsistent guidance and unclear enforcement timelines.
