Smartphones and Laptops Spared from China Tariffs—for Now, Says Commerce Secretary
Smartphones and laptops were among a range of consumer electronics spared from the latest round of U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, offering what initially appeared to be a reprieve for tech giants like Apple Inc. and Nvidia Corp. But that relief may be short-lived.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday that more targeted tariffs are on the horizon. Speaking on ABC’s This Week, Lutnick explained that while items like smartphones, laptops, integrated circuits, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment were excluded from the recently announced 145% “reciprocal” tariffs, they’re not off the hook. Instead, these products will likely face a separate set of semiconductor-focused tariffs as the administration seeks to boost domestic chip production.
“The exemption was not a pass,” Lutnick clarified. “These technology products are simply being moved into a different, more specific tariff category.”
President Donald Trump added further confusion in a Sunday social media post, stating, “NOBODY is getting ‘off the hook.’” He insisted that no tariff exception had been granted on Friday—only a shift to a different tariff strategy.
The evolving policy has left markets rattled. Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said Sunday that the constant stream of conflicting messages from the White House is creating “massive uncertainty and chaos” for companies trying to manage their supply chains and inventory planning. Still, Ives noted the outlook had improved slightly since last week, calling the current situation “a much better spot than Friday and last week heading into this Sunday night.”
Apple, which relies heavily on Chinese manufacturing, has been particularly vulnerable to tariff concerns. Its shares had dropped 11% between Trump’s initial tariff announcement on April 2 and the end of last week. The company had previously received tariff exemptions during Trump’s first term.
Analyst Stacy Rasgon of Bernstein, who covers Nvidia and other semiconductor firms, wrote Sunday that the exemptions could signal a willingness to negotiate. “It seemed last week that Trump was looking for an excuse to engage with China,” Rasgon wrote. “Exempting these products—many of which are crucial Chinese imports—could be interpreted as a gesture toward renewed talks. Time will tell.”
