Thought Leadership
Having barely been exempted from special tariffs, smartphones, laptops and other important electronic products are once again being targeted by the US government. According to US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, the product groups that have just been exempted will soon be subject to additional tariffs again.
When asked by ABC News whether the current exception was only temporary, Lutnick replied: “That is correct.” US media had already speculated that the relief could only be a reprieve.
Only recently, the US government had provided relief by exempting certain electronic products from previously announced special tariffs – including those against China – for the time being. Alongside other US companies, Apple in particular benefits from the relief: the vast majority of the Group’s iPhones and other devices are built in the People’s Republic, even though production has been expanded in Vietnam and India in recent years.
New tariffs “probably in one or two months”
The affected product groups have only been exempted from the so-called reciprocal tariffs, the minister now emphasized. In fact, however, they would soon fall under new sectoral tariffs in the semiconductor sector. “We need to have these things made in America,” said Lutnick. “We can’t rely on foreign countries for basic things that we need.” That’s why US President Donald Trump will soon announce new tariffs – “which will probably come in a month or two”.
In addition to electronic devices and semiconductors, this would also affect pharmaceutical products, explained Lutnick. He has previously spoken out in favor of having iPhones manufactured in the USA in the future, with the help of robots. However, industry experts consider this to be difficult to implement: there is a lack of the necessary suppliers and skilled workers. In addition, production in the USA would probably make the devices considerably more expensive.
Trump’s course is causing uncertainty
It is another example of Trump’s zigzagging trade policy, which is plunging international markets as well as US companies and consumers into uncertainty. Even before announcing the exemptions for electronics, the US President had backtracked on many trading partners and suspended parts of the previously announced special tariffs for 90 days.
At the same time, he tightened his stance towards Beijing: the US is now demanding additional duties of up to 145% on imports from China. Beijing, in turn, responded with counter-tariffs of 125% on US products.
dpa
