Washington, D.C. — Officials within President Donald Trump’s administration have privately indicated that newly proposed semiconductor tariffs may not be imposed in the near term, delaying a plan to roll out sector-specific duties, according to a Reuters report released Thursday.
Citing multiple unnamed sources, the report said administration officials recently conveyed the message to government and industry stakeholders amid concerns that steep tariffs could provoke China and raise consumer price pressures. Two individuals told Reuters that Trump aides are proceeding cautiously to avoid sparking another round of trade tensions with Beijing.
However, a White House official and a Commerce Department spokesperson denied any shift in the administration’s stance, according to the report.
Trump first announced on August 6 that he planned to impose tariffs of about 100 percent on semiconductors — a move closely monitored by South Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. He later said on August 15 that the tariff rollout would come “sometime next week, or the week after,” suggesting an imminent announcement, though no formal timeline has been set.
A recent joint fact sheet on trade and security cooperation between the United States and South Korea stated that Washington would offer Seoul semiconductor tariff rates “no less favourable” than those granted to any major chip-trading partner.
Trump has invoked Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 for the industry-specific tariffs, a provision that allows the president to adjust imports deemed a threat to national security. (Source: IANS)
