Trump administration walks back tariff ‘exemption’ on electronics

Trump says he’s “flexible” on electronic tariffs, and that more developments are “coming up”

article-image

White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller | Consolidated News Photos/Shutterstock and Adobe modified by Blockworks

share

This is a segment from the Forward Guidance newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe.


If you logged off on Friday at the close and didn’t check futures prices or the news until this morning (unlikely, I know, but maybe you spent the weekend at the Masters), you have some catching up to do. 

To recap: The US Customs and Border Protection late Friday night issued guidance exempting certain consumer electronics (smartphones, computers, etc.) from both reciprocal tariffs on China and the 10% global tariff on all imports. Machines used to assemble semiconductors are also exempt, the guidance noted. 

On Saturday afternoon, though, White House senior adviser Stephen Miller said that these products, when imported from China, are still subject to a 20% levy. 

Trump doubled down (sort of) on Sunday, writing in a Truth Social post that “there was no tariff ‘exemption’ announced on Friday.” Semiconductor tariffs will be moved to a different “bucket,” he said, adding that he would clarify everything on Monday. 

When asked about it this morning, Trump told reporters this: “Look, I’m a very flexible person. I don’t change my mind, but I’m flexible, and you have to be.” 

He added that “there’ll be many things coming up” and he “[doesn’t] want to hurt anybody.” 

We try to cover news as close to schedules as possible, but this administration loves to keep everyone on their toes. With that in mind, as of time of writing, Trump didn’t provide any specifics on tariffs on electronics. 

We’ll be watching for updates, but buckle up in the meantime. It’s looking to be another unpredictable week.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Research Report Templates.png

Research

Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) represent low-hanging fruit in a massive market ripe for Web3-driven disruption. The global CDN market was valued at ~$28B in 2024, and is projected to surpass $140B by 2034, (18.75% CAGR) underscoring the immense demand for efficient content delivery.

article-image

Sponsored

With early interest from an initial cohort of brands including Metaplex, Story Protocol, and Pipe Network, Shelby offers decentralized, cloud-speed storage for streaming, AI, and real-time content

article-image

The $135 million raise shows that TradFi giants are serious about crypto adoption

article-image

The banking system still processes payments like it’s 1975. Crypto might have a fix.

article-image

Fiserv’s launch follows Senate passage of the GENIUS Act for stablecoin regulation.

article-image

Bitcoin is emerging as “the new standard for long-term corporate resilience,” Swan Bitcoin CIO says

article-image

Cybersecurity experts explain how the attack could have been prevented