President Donald Trump on Sunday said there will be no exceptions for tariffs on electronics and that he would clarify his administration's policy on Monday.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced late Friday that some smartphones, computers, chips and other electronics would be exempted from tariffs, but Trump's top economic advisers hit the Sunday talk shows to explain the policy, saying that tariffs against electronics would be coming in the next month or two.
“There was no Tariff ‘exemption’ announced on Friday," Trump posted Sunday afternoon, and that semiconductor tariffs will “just be moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket.’”
Trump defends tariffs but notes there will be 'transition problems'
Meeting with his Cabinet at the White House, Trump took a moment to defend his economic agenda after tariff confusion and changes.
"We think we're in very good shape. We think we're doing very well. Again there will be a transition cost, transition problems, but in the end it's going to be a beautiful thing," Trump said. "We're doing, again, what we should have done many years ago. We let it get out of control, and we allowed some countries to get very big and very rich at our expense. And I'm not going to let that happen."
President Donald Trump speaks at a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, April 10, 2025.
Nathan Howard/Reuters
Apr 10, 2025, 11:40 AM EDT
Trump tariffs on China now total whopping 145%
President Donald Trump raised the tariffs on all Chinese exports to 125% on Wednesday, after Beijing's latest round of retaliation.
That new tariff comes in addition to the 20% fentanyl-related tariffs that the president placed on China in early February, which brings the total Trump tariff rate on China to a whopping 145%, according to the White House.
A container ship unloads its cargo at Kwai Chung Container terminal in Hong Kong, April 10, 2025.
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
-ABC News' Mary Bruce
Apr 10, 2025, 6:44 AM EDT
EU to mirror Trump 90-day tariff pause
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Thursday that the European Union would pause planned counter-tariffs on U.S. goods for 90 days, mirroring President Donald Trump's decision to hold off on sweeping tariffs against most American trading partners.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is pictured in Brussels, Belgium, on April 9, 2025.
Yves Herman/Reuters
"We took note of the announcement by President Trump," von der Leyen wrote in a post to X. "We want to give negotiations a chance."
"If negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will kick in," she wrote. "Preparatory work on further countermeasures continues. As I have said before, all options remain on the table."
Apr 10, 2025, 4:16 AM EDT
US seeking 'selfish gains,' China says
The U.S. is wielding "tariffs as a weapon to exert maximum pressure and seek selfish gains," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters at a Thursday briefing, after President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 125%.
"This move is against the whole world," Lin said following Trump's latest measure, which came despite his surprise decision to pause planned tariffs on other American trade partners for 90 days.
A container ship unloads its cargo at Kwai Chung Container terminal in Hong Kong on April 10, 2025.
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
Trump said China had shown a "lack of respect" by retaliating to his tariffs campaign. On Wednesday, Beijing announced it would increase tariffs on all U.S. goods to 84%.
Lin said Thursday that Beijing's response would safeguard the Chinese economy and uphold "the common interests of the international community."
Trump's tariffs policy, he added, does not have international backing and "will end in failure. Let me stress that tariffs and trade wars have no winners. China does not want to fight them but will not fear when they come our way."
"The U.S. has put its own interests over the public interests of the international community," Lin said. "This will meet with stronger opposition from the international community."
