“Trump Defends Tariff Strategy, Signals New Focus on Semiconductors and Electronics”
President Trump clarified that some goods were simply reassigned to different “tariff categories” and rejected claims that certain products were exempt from his tariff increases.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick hinted at a new “semiconductor tariff” but later confirmed that some electronics, like computers and smartphones, would be temporarily excluded from the tariffs.
Trump positioned the tariffs as a defense against being “held hostage by hostile trading nations like China,” stating, “We are focusing on semiconductors and the entire electronics supply chain in upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations.” He emphasized, “We cannot allow them to continue mistreating us in trade, as they have for decades; those days are over.”
Chinese state media responded with sharp criticism, questioning the U.S. economic model and challenging Trump’s approach to trade. One publication commented, “No one is taking advantage of the United States. The U.S. has been living beyond its means for decades, which is the root issue.”
