Trump says no nation 'getting off the hook' after 90-day tariff pause, electronics exception

President Donald Trump said that nobody is getting "off the hook" when it comes to "unfair trade balances" with the United States after he paused reciprocal tariffs on the majority of nations for 90 days as well as exempted many electronics and goods in technology from the new tariffs he imposed this month.

Trump posted on Truth Social, "NOBODY is getting 'off the hook' for the unfair Trade Balances, and on Monetary Tariff Barriers, that other Countries have used against us, especially not China which, by far, treats us the worst! 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. We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations. What has been exposed is that we need to make products in the United States, and that we will not be held hostage by other Countries, especially hostile trading Nations like China, which will do everything within its power to disrespect the American People."



"We also cannot let them continue to abuse us on Trade, like they have for decades, THOSE DAYS ARE OVER! The Golden Age of America, which includes the upcoming Tax and Regulation Cuts, a substantial amount of which was just approved by the House and Senate, will mean more and better paying Jobs, making products in our Nation, and treating other Countries, in particular China, the same way they have treated us. The bottom line is that our Country will be bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump added.

The post came after the president exempted electronics such as smartphones, computer chips, laptops, and others from his newer reciprocal tariffs that were imposed on countries across the world, including from China. Trump said, however, that the electronics are still subject to a 20 percent tariffs placed on China for the country's activities in producing fentanyl and that he is looking at the whole semiconductor supply chain and industry.

This comes as it was announced on Monday by computer chip giant Nvidia said that the company had already started producing its Blackwell AI GPU chips at TSMC's chip factory in Arizona and the US has made a number of moves to ramp up manufacturing of high-end technology and AI.

Last week, Trump raised tariffs on China to a total of 145 percent for all other goods aside from the electronics because of the exemption. the 20 percent was placed on China earlier this year, and Trump raised the tariff rate by 125 percent, announcing in an April 9 Truth Social post, "Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately."

China has responded in part by restricting the flow of rare earth metals as well as magnets out of the country, which are key to manufacturing high-tech in the United States and abroad.