Trump's 100% Chip Tariffs Exempt TSMC, Apple, Samsung & SK Hynix
On August 6, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 100% tariff on imported semiconductors. However, companies that have already established manufacturing facilities in the U.S. or have committed to building plants there will be exempt from this tariff.
Shortly after, Trump confirmed that tech giants Nvidia and Apple will receive these exemptions due to their significant investments in U.S. manufacturing. Apple also revealed its ambitious plan to invest $600 billion over the next four years through its new "American Manufacturing Program" (AMP). This initiative aims to bring more of Apple's supply chain and advanced manufacturing operations to the U.S., encouraging global businesses to produce critical components domestically.
Apple's initial AMP partners include major industry players such as Corning, Coherent, GlobalWafers America (GWA), Applied Materials, Texas Instruments, Samsung, GlobalFoundries, Amkor, and Broadcom. These partners are expected to qualify for the tariff exemptions as they expand their U.S. investments.
Additionally, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is also set to receive an exemption. Earlier this year, TSMC committed $65 billion to build three advanced semiconductor fabs in the U.S., and recently announced an additional $100 billion investment for three more cutting-edge fabs, two advanced packaging plants, and a research center.
Following Trump's tariff announcement, the South Korean government confirmed that Samsung and SK Hynix will also be exempt from the new semiconductor tariffs. Samsung has pledged $45 billion by 2030 to establish two advanced chip manufacturing plants, a research center, and an advanced packaging facility in the U.S. SK Hynix plans to invest $3.87 billion in West Lafayette, Indiana, to build an AI memory product packaging and R&D center.
According to a report from South Korean SBS TV, Korea's chief trade negotiator, Minister Yoo Han-koo, explained that under the trade agreement between Korea and the U.S., Korea benefits from most-favored-nation status for chips and pharmaceuticals, so the 100% semiconductor tariff does not apply to Korean companies.
