The exclusions of smartphones, computers and electronics from U.S. President Donald Trump’s steep “reciprocal” tariffs last week are not permanent but rather a clarification that they will be part of a separate semiconductor-sector tariff coming in the next few months, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC on Sunday.
This is because semiconductors — like steel, aluminum, autos and pharmaceuticals — are critical to national security and need to be reshored to America, he said, adding that they are nonnegotiable.