Trump to Set Semiconductor Tariffs Up to 300%

On August 15, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to implement semiconductor tariffs within the next two weeks, with rates potentially reaching 200% or even 300%. The move signals a stronger push to bring chip manufacturing back to the United States.

Trump stated, “Over the next two weeks, we will set tariffs on steel and semiconductors.” He has repeatedly pledged that tariffs on chips and pharmaceuticals will be rolled out soon, though no official announcement has been made yet.

Earlier statements from Trump suggested semiconductor tariffs could range from 25% to 100%. New rules might even consider the wafer manufacturing location as the basis for tariffs, a change that could significantly impact major chip manufacturers like TSMC, Intel, Samsung, and Micron, as well as design companies reliant on wafer fabrication, including NVIDIA, Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek.

Last week, during an event with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Trump mentioned a potential 100% tariff on semiconductors but indicated that products manufactured in the U.S. could be exempt. While the White House has not clarified how such exemptions would work, Trump hinted that Apple—already committed to a $600 billion U.S. manufacturing plan—might qualify.

Trump emphasized that initial semiconductor tariffs will start at a lower rate to give companies time to build domestic production capacity. Over time, tariffs could rise sharply to 200% or 300%. He added, “Will the rate I set be 200%, 300%?” expressing confidence that manufacturers will choose U.S. production over paying high tariffs.

Regarding steel, Trump raised tariffs on steel and aluminum to 25% in February and suggested a potential increase to 50% in May, though it remains unclear if further adjustments are planned.