Washington DC [US], April 14: Despite his administration issuing a temporary exemption for certain high-tech products from newly announced tariffs, US President Donald Trump declared on Sunday that no country would be spared from his tough trade stance, particularly targeting China, Al Jazeera reported.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote,
“We will not be held hostage by other Countries, especially hostile trading Nations like China.”
This statement followed confusion over the administration’s decision to move smartphones, laptops, and other electronics into a separate tariff category, sparking speculation of a policy softening. However, Trump clarified that those products are still subject to a 20% existing duty and will soon fall under additional semiconductor tariffs.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, the President said his administration would unveil new tariffs on semiconductors within the week, signaling that more aggressive trade measures are imminent.
“The tariffs will be in place in the not distant future,” Trump stated, while noting that there may be limited flexibility for some companies in the semiconductor sector.
US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick confirmed the approach, saying the exemptions are temporary and that semiconductor tariffs will roll out in the coming weeks.
“So what [Trump is] doing is he’s saying they’re exempt from the reciprocal tariffs, but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two,” Lutnick said in an interview with local media, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, China has issued a stern response, calling on the US to cancel the “wrong practice” of reciprocal tariffs and return to a path of “mutual respect.” The Chinese Commerce Ministry, via France 24, described the tariffs as harmful and urged the US to correct its actions.
“We urge the US to take a big step to correct its mistakes, completely cancel the wrong practice of ‘reciprocal tariffs’ and return to the right path of mutual respect,” a spokesperson said.
Tensions have further escalated since Trump excluded China from a 90-day tariff delay granted to several other countries, including members of the European Union. The continued back-and-forth marks a deepening of the US-China trade conflict, with significant implications for global supply chains and tech industries.