US exempts smartphones, computers from sweeping tariff scheme

President Donald Trump holds a Cabinet meeting, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in the Cabinet Room. (Official White House Photo by Molly Roberts)

By Yonhap, Philippine News Agency

SEOUL – U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has exempted smartphones, computers and several other electronic devices from a sweeping set of reciprocal tariffs, offering relief to South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co., Apple Inc. and other global tech firms.

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a notice Saturday announcing the exemption of select electronics, such as smartphones, laptops, personal computers (PCs), servers and semiconductor equipment, from the reciprocal tariffs, including the 125 percent levies imposed on Chinese imports.

The exclusions apply retroactively from April 5, it added.

The latest decision is expected to ease concerns across the global tech industry about surging prices, as many of those products are manufactured in China.

Trump had initially planned to implement steep reciprocal tariffs on most countries, but he announced a 90-day pause on the scheme last week.

Instead, the US has imposed a blanket global tariff of 10 percent.

For imports from China, the exemption applies only to the 125 percent reciprocal tariffs. Previous duties of 20 percent on all Chinese imports, which Trump said were related to the US fentanyl crisis, will remain in effect, according to foreign media reports.