Trump exempts smartphones and computers from massive China tariffs

Trump just threw a lifeline to US tech buyers by exempting smartphones and computers from new tariffs on Chinese imports. In a surprise move, the President’s administration officially announced that Trump exempts smartphones tariffs, including the brutal 125% levy that had companies like Apple and Samsung on edge.

According to a notice from US Customs and Border Patrol, these devices are now exempt from Trump’s global 10% tariff and the much bigger China-specific import tax. That’s a big deal. Some early estimates suggested that iPhone prices could have tripled if companies like Apple had passed the extra costs on to consumers.

The timing of this exemption feels especially critical. Apple, for one, manufactures about 80% of its iPhones for the US market in China. Without relief, they were looking at an impossible situation: either swallow the cost or jack up prices. It’s the same story for Samsung, which has been trying to diversify its supply chain to avoid over-reliance on China, with India and Vietnam stepping in as alternative hubs.

Of course, not every tech product is safe. Game consoles, for example, have already felt the squeeze. Nintendo reportedly delayed Switch 2 pre-orders in the US because of these tariffs.

Trump’s tariff policy has been aggressive across the board. He raised China-specific import taxes to 145%, blaming Beijing’s 84% retaliatory tariffs for the hike.

The White House is spinning this as a negotiating tactic. Trump claims the endgame is fairer trade, fewer supply chain dependencies, and more factories returning to American soil. Whether or not that works is still up for debate. But for now, with Trump exempts smartphones tariffs, US tech companies—and anyone eyeing a new iPhone—can breathe a little easier.