United States President Donald Trump has vowed that semiconductor imports will be subjected to import tariffs, noting possible waivers for companies like Apple that have promised significant investments in the United States economy.
In his address on Thursday, Donald Trump noted that Tim Cook’s company will be largely shielded from import duties, due to their promises to boost their United States operations. “Tim Cook would be in pretty good shape,” he said.
Donald Trump promises exemption for some companies
During a dinner at the White House with a select group of top technology company leaders, including Cook, the president addressed reporters. He commented, referring to chips and semiconductors, “We’ll be putting a tariff very shortly. You probably are hearing we’ll be putting a fairly substantial tariff, or not that high, but a fairly substantial tariff.”
However, he clarified that businesses entering the United States or expanding their presence would be exempt from the tariffs. Earlier last month, the American President announced they would implement a 100% tariff on semiconductor imports and even then still made promises to exempt Apple, considering its additional $100 billion investment pledge.
Overall, Apple is expected to invest $60 billion into domestic manufacturing in the next four years. In addition, it has also confirmed that it would bring a greater share of its supply chain and high-tech manufacturing to the United States under its American Manufacturing Program (AMP), in a collaboration with firms like Corning, Applied Materials, and Texas Instruments. It also announced that Corning will commit a full factory in Kentucky to Apple glass production and increase headcount at the site by 50%.
While Donald Trump promised to exempt firms making the same investment as Apple in the United States, the president added that a separate levy will still target electronics products that rely on semiconductors. He had also previously floated the idea of setting tariffs at more than 100%, with potential levels as high as 200%–300%.
TSMC exempted from the United States chip tariffs
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is also planning to invest about $165 billion into its US manufacturing push in Arizona. Last month, Liu Chin-ching, head of Taiwan’s National Development Council, announced the firm would be exempted from the 100% tariff on U.S. chip imports, even as certain Taiwanese firms remain exposed.
Around the same time, Yeo Han-koo, South Korea’s trade minister, told SBS that chips from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are spared from the tariffs thanks to their US commitments. Over a dozen large firms have rolled out major US investment commitments since Trump’s 2024 win, with executives visiting him first at Mar-a-Lago and later at the White House.
However, despite possible relief, there is still a broader concern about Trump’s stance on electronics, considering the size of the US consumer tech market. A sweeping tariff package would cover any semiconductor-containing product, including everything from automobiles to small gadgets.
