U.S. President Donald Trump speaks throughout an occasion with Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner within the Oval Workplace of the White Home on August 6, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Win Mcnamee | Getty Photos
President Donald Trump stated Wednesday he’ll impose a 100% tariff on imports of semiconductors and chips, however not for firms which can be “constructing in the US.”
The announcement of recent sector-specific tariffs exhibits Trump ratcheting up his efforts to stress companies to fabricate their merchandise within the U.S.
However specifics concerning the plan, equivalent to how a lot U.S. manufacturing an organization must do so as to qualify for the tariff exemption, weren’t instantly clear.
Trump had beforehand signaled that the duties on chips and semiconductors, which have grow to be key elements in nearly each trade, might come as quickly as subsequent week.
“We will be placing a really massive tariff on chips and semiconductors,” Trump stated within the Oval Workplace on Wednesday afternoon.
“However the excellent news for firms like Apple is if you happen to’re constructing in the US or have dedicated to construct, with out query, dedicated to construct in the US, there shall be no cost,” he stated.
“So in different phrases, we’ll be placing a tariff on of roughly 100% on chips and semiconductors. However if you happen to’re constructing in the US of America, there is not any cost.”
The remarks got here after Trump touted a dedication by Apple to speculate one other $100 billion within the U.S. over the following 4 years, on prime of the $500 billion the tech large has beforehand pledged.
A number of prime chipmakers, together with Taiwan Semiconductor, Nvidia and GlobalFoundries, have already pledged to fabricate a few of their merchandise within the U.S.
They are not alone: Greater than 130 tasks within the U.S. totaling $600 billion {dollars} have been introduced since 2020, in line with the Semiconductor Business Affiliation.
TSMC, the world’s largest contract chip firm, has pledged to speculate a complete of $165 billion in U.S. manufacturing.
Nvidia, the world’s most precious firm, stated in April that it plans to spend $500 billion on AI infrastructure within the U.S. over the following 4 years.
GlobalFoundries pledged $16 billion in June to broaden its semiconductor manufacturing at services in New York and Vermont.
Additionally in June, Texas Devices introduced a $60 billion increase to seven chip fabs within the U.S. The corporate counts Apple, Ford, Medtronic, Nvidia and SpaceX as prospects.
