President Trump Exempts Smartphones and Computers From Tariffs

President Trump has revised his reciprocal tariffs on China and other countries.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that electronics from China and other countries will be exempt from reciprocal tariffs.

The exemption now gives companies like Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft a major break.

According to Webush Securities, roughly 90% of the iPhone’s production and assembly is in China.

Smartphones and computers are China’s largest export to the United States…

Now exempt from tariffs. pic.twitter.com/IDOttwotl0

— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) April 12, 2025

Trump excluded phones, computers, chips, and other electronic devices from the Chinese tariffs late Friday evening.

I don't have strong feelings about this (minimizing pain for Americans is okay), but you aren't going to win a trade war against China like this. pic.twitter.com/FCVYROq0y1

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) April 12, 2025

Here’s what CNN reported:

Electronics imported to the United States will be exempt from President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, according to a US Customs and Border Protection notice posted late Friday.

Smartphones, computer monitors and various electronic parts are among the exempted products. The exemption applies to products entering the United States or removed from warehouses as early as April 5, according to the notice.

The move comes after the Trump administration imposed a minimum tariff rate of 145% on Chinese goods imported to the United States. The tariffs would have a major impact on tech giants like Apple, which make iPhones and other products in China.

Roughly 90% of Apple’s iPhone production and assembly is based in China, according to Wedbush Securities’ estimates.

Analysts at Wedbush on Saturday called the tariff exclusion, “the best news possible for tech investors.”

“Big Tech firms like Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft and the broader tech industry can breathe a huge sigh of relief this weekend into Monday,” Wedbush said in a statement. “A big step forward for US tech to get these exemptions and the most bullish news we could have heard this weekend… now onto the next step in negotiations on the broader China tariff war which will take a number of months at least.”

Trump exempts electronics — including phones and computers — from reciprocal tariffs https://t.co/Mk1jAdKZlu pic.twitter.com/zJgI4QXkNA

— New York Post (@nypost) April 12, 2025

Per The New York Post:

S​martphones, computers and other electronics will be exempt from President Trump’s sweeping reciprocal tariffs, the administration announced.​

I​n a break for consumers, the ​United States will not collect the new duties on about 20 products listed in guidance issued by Customs and Border Protection, the federal agency tasked with collecting tariff revenues.

This list, published late Friday night, also includes routers and semiconductor chips.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) cited a presidential memorandum issued Friday, which the White House has not publicly released, as the impetus for the new guidance.