Major Favorable News Falls Through? Trump Changes His Mind Again: No Exceptions to Tariffs! Electronic Products Still Face Tariffs

Last Friday, April 11, Eastern Time, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) quietly released updated tariff rules, exempting import tariffs on categories including automatic data processors, computers, communication equipment, displays and modules, and semiconductor-related goods, unaffected by "reciprocal tariffs." On Saturday, Eastern Time, this exemption information was also confirmed by the White House.

However, on Sunday, US President Trump and his senior trade officials released contradictory information, further intensifying confusion over his tariff plans.

Trump: No Tariff "Exceptions"

On Sunday afternoon, Eastern Time, Trump addressed the exemption news on his social media platform TruthSocial, stating that he would still "focus" on the semiconductor and electronics supply chain in the so-called "national security tariff investigation."

"For the unfair trade balances and non-monetary tariff barriers used by other countries against us, no country can 'escape' punishment, " Trump wrote on social media,

"No tariff 'exceptions' were announced last Friday... they were just moved to different tariff 'categories.' The fake news media knows this but refuses to report it. In the upcoming national security tariff investigation, we will still focus on semiconductors and the entire electronics supply chain. "

Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council, stated that the US government is investigating semiconductors under Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act. He mentioned that this clause allows the president to restrict imports of products deemed critical to US national security after an investigation.

"Semiconductors are key and essential components of many defense equipment," Hassett said, "There will be a semiconductor Section 232, we will carefully study these issues and decide which products must be produced domestically."

US Trade Representative Jamison Greer also stated on Sunday that although part of the executive order signed by Trump regarding exemptions was titled "Clarification of Exceptions," they are "not real exceptions."

Greer said: "The reality is that this supply chain has shifted from the global tariff, reciprocal tariff system to the national security tariff system. "

Earlier on Sunday, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated on television that the exemptions for electronics and parts are only temporary, and that separate tariffs on electronics "will be introduced soon."

"They are exempt from reciprocal tariffs, but they are included in the semiconductor tariffs that may be introduced in a month or two," he said,

"So this is not a permanent exemption. (Trump) is just clarifying that these are not things countries can negotiate. These things are about national security, and we need to manufacture them in the US."

Trump Faces a Credibility Crisis

The latest statements from Trump's team have clearly dashed the hopes of consumers and the market. Tariffs mean that the import prices of US electronic goods will skyrocket, and this cost is usually passed on to consumers.

This latest statement has further added to the confusion over Trump's tariff policies. In the past two weeks, Trump's tariff policies have changed multiple times. Democratic lawmakers stated on Sunday that these changes are leading to uncertainty and a credibility crisis for Trump.

"President Trump now faces a credibility crisis," New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker said bluntly on Sunday,