Trump: Substantial semiconductor tariff coming 'very shortly', Apple could be exempt

Published on 05/09/2025 - 9:25 GMT+2

The US President sent retired a informing astir semiconductor tariffs during a meal astatine nan White House connected Thursday, wherever he hosted a high-powered group of tech executives.

The president has been vocal astir wanting to spot important home finance from large tech companies. Trump said that he would soon enforce “fairly substantial” tariffs connected semiconductor imports, but noted that companies relocating their manufacturing to nan US could spot their products exempted from nan adjacent levy.

“We’ll beryllium putting a tariff very shortly. You astir apt are proceeding we’ll beryllium putting a reasonably important tariff," nan president said, adding that it concerns companies that do not displacement accumulation to nan US.

“We’ll beryllium putting tariffs connected companies that aren’t coming in,” Trump said. He besides mentioned nan Apple CEO by name, saying that, regarding nan caller levies, "Tim Cook would beryllium successful beautiful bully shape."

New tariffs for semiconductor imports

In August, nan US President already talked about imposing a 100% tariff connected semiconductor imports during an arena pinch Apple CEO Tim Cook. The tech elephantine pledged to make an further $100 cardinal (€85.7bn) finance successful home manufacturing astatine nan time, connected apical of a antecedently approved $500bn (€428.5bn).

During nan meal astatine nan White House connected Thursday, nan likes of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook recovered themselves arsenic nan centre of attraction erstwhile Trump asked guests astir nan array really overmuch they were investing successful nan country.

Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, who sat to Trump's right, said $600bn (€514.2bn), Apple's Tim Cook quoted nan aforesaid and Google's Sundar Pichai promised $250bn (€214.2bn).

“What astir Microsoft?” Trump said. “That's a large number.”

CEO Satya Nadella said it was up to $80bn (€68.6bn) per year.

“Good,” Trump responded. “Very good.”

Notably absent from nan impermanent database was Elon Musk. Once a adjacent state of Trump who was tasked pinch moving nan Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk had a nationalist breakup pinch Trump earlier this year.

At nan array alternatively was 1 of Musk's rivals successful artificial intelligence, Sam Altman of OpenAI.