Trump says electronics tariff break won't last

The tariff exemptions on smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices are temporary, the administration says

President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick unveil steep tariffs
President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick unveil steep tariffs
(Image credit: Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images)

What happened

President Donald Trump said Sunday that the tariff exemptions on smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices that his administration quietly rolled out late Friday were only temporary. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on ABC's "This Week" that electronics imports would be taxed under a new tariff on semiconductors "in probably a month or two," along with levies for pharmaceuticals.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.