The US government has excluded a broad range of consumer electronics from recently imposed reciprocal tariffs, according to new guidelines released by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The exemptions apply to smartphones, laptop computers, hard drives, memory chips, processors, and flat-screen displays.
Go deeper with GlobalData
These items will no longer be subject to the 125% tariff imposed on Chinese imports under the policy introduced by former President Donald Trump, nor to the baseline 10% tariff affecting nearly all other countries.
The CBP listed 20 product categories that are now exempt from these levies.
Despite these exclusions, a separate 20% tariff on all Chinese goods remains in effect.
According to CNBC, the White House said that the exemptions were made to give companies additional time to relocate their manufacturing operations to the US.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataWhite House deputy press secretary Kush Desai said in a statement to the publication that Trump “has made it clear America cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones, and laptops.”
“At the direction of the President, these companies are hustling to onshore their manufacturing in the United States as soon as possible,” Desai added.
The exemptions cover almost $390bn in US imports based on 2024 trade figures, including more than $101bn from China.
Smartphones were the largest category of imports affected by the exemption, with the US importing more than $41bn worth from China in 2024. Computers and related devices represented more than $36bn in imports.
Combined, the newly exempted products represent approximately 22% of US imports from China last year, according to data compiled by Gerard DiPippo, associate director of the Rand China Research Center, as reported by Bloomberg.
Earlier this month, the of shares tech giant Apple dropped by more than 6% in late trading on 02 April, indicating a broader decline in the technology sector after US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on imported goods.
Navigate the shifting tariff landscape with real-time data and market-leading analysis.
Request a free demo for GlobalData’s Strategic Intelligence here.
