The Trump administration has announced that the tariff exemptions are temporary, with Trump declaring no one’s off the hook.
The past few days have thrown the US tech industry into a state of turmoil as markets scrambled to react to the Trump tariffs that impose a 10% levy on almost all imported goods, with even harsher penalties for certain nations.
The response has been chaotic. Companies like Framework, which specializes in modular laptops, and Nintendo, with its game consoles, were hit especially hard. Framework had to pause sales of some laptop models in the US. Nintendo also delayed pre-orders of the recently announced Switch 2, in order to „assess the potential impact of tariffs.“
As the backlash grew, the Trump administration pulled back slightly by announcing exemptions for key electronics like smartphones, laptops, memory cards, and semiconductors.
Now, reports indicate the exemption of smartphones, laptops, and other electronics will be short-lived. CNN highlighted comments made by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick during an appearance on ABC’s This Week, where he stated that the exemptions will be short-lived, with new tariffs targeting electronics already in the works.
