The United States is preparing to roll out separate tariffs on imports of smartphones, computers, semiconductors, and related components within the next one to two months, according to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. As reported by ABC News on April 13, 2025, this move signals a strategic pivot to increase domestic manufacturing.
Consumer electronics imports will now fall under a “special focus type of tariff”
“We need to have semiconductors, chips, and flat panels made in America. We can’t be reliant on Southeast Asia for all the things that operate for us,” Lutnick stated. This follows President Donald Trump’s April 11 decision to exempt smartphones, laptops, and other electronics from reciprocal tariffs imposed on April 2, dubbed “Liberation Day.”
The US Customs and Border Protection notice, effective from April 5, covered products like hard drives and memory chips. Not to mention, it offers relief to importers like Apple and Samsung. In the latest revelation, Lutnick clarified that these items will now fall under a “special focus type of tariff” set to take effect soon, despite their exclusion from reciprocal duties. Apple shifted its inventory from India and China to the US to during the last week of March to dodge Trump’s tariff deadline.
The policy shift aims to address national security concerns, with Lutnick asserting that negotiations with other countries are off the table. “These are things that are national security that we need to be made in America,” he said. This comes amid warnings from experts that “Made in America” iPhones could skyrocket to $3,500, reflecting potential cost hikes as production relocates. Trump’s administration seeks to cushion consumers and support US firms while pushing for self-sufficiency, though the rapid policy reversal raises questions about supply chain stability.
As the tariffs approach, the focus on domestic chip and electronics manufacturing could reshape global trade dynamics.
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