US Takes Step Back on Tech Tariffs, Grants Import Exemptions

The US backs of some tech tariffs, giving serious relief to major tech companies like NVIDIA and Apple.

To a remarkable surprise, the US government decided to exempt a broad list of tech products from the recent import tariffs, which has provided seriously needed relief to many large American tech companies who were unfortunately caught up in the middle of the trade battle between the US government and China.

Last Friday, the US Customs and Border Protection agency quietly released, list of some items that were excluded from the sweeping tariff put in place days earlier by the US President (Donald Trump) Administration. Most of the items listed included Smartphones, Laptops, Memory chips including Hard drives, and many other tech products.

The timing seemed to be perfect as just a few hours later, China hit back with a retaliatory tariff of over 125% on US goods, making clear how fragile the trading relationship between these two high powers has evolved into.

At least for now, this decision has erased the pressure on major tech sectors like large American tech companies like Apple, NVIDIA, and DELL, which mainly rely on Chinese manufacturing, so it is safe to say this Exemption could soften the blow of a tense economic standoff. Most analysts still say this move won't fix the broader conflict, but it is confirmed to have erased the pressure on the tech firms.

According to data suggestions, the newly exempted items make up more than 20% of the Chinese targetted imports. Though the Trump administration hasn't completely stepped away from their hardline stance, it appears to be creating space for more strategic exceptions.

A Tech Analyst from Wedbush Securities, Daniel Ives, embraced this news, which led him to write in a client note, "This lifts a major cloud over the tech sector, it could have taken the industry a decade backward, especially in AI and Chip innovation".

Even so, uncertainty lingers. Semiconductors are currently on the exemption list, but President Trump has floated the idea of separate, sector-specific tariffs on imports from all countries. He promised more details on that front early next week.

Meanwhile, Trump’s team insists the overall goal hasn’t changed: bringing manufacturing back to the US. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said firms like Apple are already “working hard to onshore production.” However, economists remain skeptical that domestic factories can ramp up fast enough to fill the gap.

NYU economist Nouriel Roubini didn’t mince words. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he criticized the strategy as “contradictory and inconsistent,” adding that the exemptions won’t bring iPhone assembly or other complex manufacturing back to American soil.

China, for its part, remains firm. In recent remarks, President Xi Jinping said Beijing was “not afraid” of trade pressure, while Commerce Minister Wang Wentao warned that continued US tariffs could harm developing economies and worsen global instability.

Despite the mounting tension, the White House says Trump is still hopeful a deal with China can be reached — though officials also made it clear they expect China to take the next step.