Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that the Trump administration’s recent exemption of electronic devices such as smartphones, iPhones, and laptops from tariffs is merely a temporary measure and that these products will still be subject to separate levies.
Lutnick explained, “(Electronics are) exempt from the reciprocal tariffs, but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two.”
This announcement adds to the confusion surrounding the rollout of tariffs on Chinese goods, which have already stirred up significant economic concern.
Lutnick emphasized that the tariffs targeting specific business sectors will be imposed in the coming months on certain products deemed crucial to national security, stating these will be “not available for negotiation.”
On Sunday, President Donald Trump attempted to clarify the situation regarding U.S. tariffs on high-tech products imported from China.
In a post on Truth Social, he stated, “NOBODY is getting ‘off the hook’ for the unfair Trade Balances, and Non Monetary Tariff Barriers, that other Countries have used against us, especially not China which, by far, treats us the worst!”
Trump further commented, “There was no Tariff ‘exception’ announced on Friday.
These products are subject to the existing 20% Fentanyl Tariffs, and they are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket.’
The Fake News knows this, but refuses to report it.”
On Friday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection published a notice exempting electronic products from the heavily imposed 145% tariffs on Chinese goods.
Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union,” where she described the volatility surrounding tariff rates—particularly how smartphones and computers were exempt from reciprocal tariffs—as “chaos and corruption.”
She noted, “Investors will not invest in the United States when Donald Trump is playing ‘red light, green light’ with tariffs and saying, ‘Oh, and for my special donors, you get a special exemption.’”
Analysts at Wedbush Securities referred to the exemption of electronics from tariffs as “the best news possible for tech investors,” stating firms like Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft can now approach the upcoming trading week with some relief.
Despite critics, the Trump administration remains resolute in its stance that tariffs will bolster the U.S. economy by enhancing domestic manufacturing and protecting jobs.
Officials from the Trump administration conveyed mixed messages regarding the latest announcements on tariffs, stressing that a study on the national security implications of semiconductor imports would be conducted.
This Section 232 study could potentially lead to the imposition of electronic-specific tariffs by Trump in the near future.
Peter Navarro, a senior trade adviser at the White House, alongside U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, discussed Trump’s tariff policies over various news programs on Sunday.
While participating in NBC News’ “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker,” Navarro was reticent regarding new discussions with China but noted that invitations for negotiations had been extended and highlighted Trump’s positive relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Current tariffs on imports from China stand at a staggering 145%, while the Chinese government retaliated by imposing a 125% tariff on all U.S. imports.
In response to inquiries about whether the U.S. desires China to liquidate its American assets, some linked to U.S. treasuries, Greer clarified, “that’s not part of this plan” and affirmed that the U.S. situation is largely due to China’s decision to retaliate.
Oren Cass, an economist and founder of the right-leaning think tank American Compass, expressed support for both the 10% across-the-board tariff and the significantly higher tariffs on China but was critical of the uncertainty surrounding their implementation.
“It’s hard to understand what the rules will look like even in the near term,” he said.
Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers appeared on “Fareed Zakaria GPS” and stated that current tariff policy represents “the worst self-inflicted wound through economic policy since World War II.”
Summers cautioned, “It’s wrong on competitiveness, wrong on unemployment, wrong on inflation … The best thing we can hope for is that people start to see sense and reverse these errors.”
He also remarked that the trade policies implemented by Trump have given China new leverage, as they discover “scope for new influence, scope for new markets, scope to displace the United States in ways that they could not have imagined.”
Billionaire investor Ray Dalio shared his insights on “Meet the Press,” labeling Trump’s trade policies as “very disruptive” but indicated that it could potentially be part of a larger process.
He emphasized the importance of the next 90 days, stating, “it depends on where we are at the end of the 90 days.”
When discussing the likelihood of an impending recession, Dalio asserted that America is “very close to a recession,” reflecting a broader fear among economists and financial analysts.
According to JPMorgan, the likelihood of a recession has risen to 60%, up from 40%, while Goldman Sachs estimates the chances at 45%.
Dalio warned, “If you take tariffs, if you take debt, if you take the rising power challenging existing power … these changes are very, very disruptive,” stressing that how these matters are handled could lead to outcomes far worse than a recession or potentially be managed effectively.
image source from：https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/13/business/tariffs-economy-trump-china/index.html
