Politics Theo Edwards Politics Theo Edwards

Trump Exempts Phone, Computers, Chips From 'Reciprocal' Tariffs

The exclusions apply to smartphones, laptop computers, hard drives and computer processors and memory chips. Those popular consumer electronics items generally aren’t made in the US.

The exclusions apply to smartphones, laptop computers, hard drives and computer processors and memory chips. Those popular consumer electronics items generally aren’t made in the US.

Bloomberg

Apple, Nvidia Score Reprieve from Trump Tariffs With Exemptions

Debby Wu, Josh Wingrove and Shawn Donnan | Sat, April 12, 2025 at 11:03 AM EDT

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump’s administration exempted smartphones, computers, and other electronics from its so-called reciprocal tariffs, representing a major reprieve for global technology manufacturers including Apple Inc. and Nvidia Corp. even if it proves a temporary one.

The exclusions, published late Friday by US Customs and Border Protection, narrow the scope of the levies by excluding the products from Trump’s 125% China tariff and his baseline 10% global tariff on nearly all other countries.

The exclusions apply to smartphones, laptop computers, hard drives and computer processors and memory chips. Those popular consumer electronics items generally aren’t made in the US.

The pause will be welcome news to consumers, some of whom rushed to buy new iPhones and other devices amid fears that the tariffs would send prices soaring. It’s also a big win for major technology companies that have presented massive US spending pledges for Trump in recent months. Trump’s tariffs upended global markets, triggered a selloff in stocks, and ignited a rapidly escalating trade war with China.

The move is the first significant softening of any kind in Trump’s conflict with China. It was backdated to April 5.

“Honestly, I’m very comfortable now” with the China tariffs, Trump told reporters earlier Friday on Air Force One, while touting his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “And I think something positive is going to come out of that.”

The tariff reprieve may prove fleeting. The exclusions stem from the initial order, which prevented extra tariffs on certain sectors from stacking cumulatively on top of the country-wide rates. The exclusion is a sign that the products may soon be subject to a different tariff, albeit almost surely a lower one for China.

The products that won’t be subject to Trump’s new tariffs include machines used to make semiconductors. That would be important for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which has announced a major new investment in the US, as well as other chipmakers.

“All products that are properly classified in these listed provisions will be excluded from the reciprocal tariffs,” the notice said.

The move appeared to exclude the products from the 10% global baseline tariff on other countries, including Samsung Electronics Co.’s home of South Korea.

Bloomberg Reporting.
 

Excerpts from a China analyst interview with Channel 4 News, a British Broadcasting Service, on April 11, 2025, ‘China is determined to fight to the very end of the trade war.’

“China is determined to fight to the very end of the trade war.”
— Victor Gao, China analyst | April 11, 2025

‘China has been here for 5000 years. Most of the time, there was no United States, and we survived’ China analyst Victor Gao says that ‘China will fight to the very end’ in a trade war after President Trump hit China with 145% tariffs.

“Scott Galloway breaks down how President Trump’s tariff war will affect American consumers.”
— Source: The View

‘We have someone at the wheel of the global economy who is blackout drunk right now.’

 
“Trump’s Trade War Will Hit US Prosperity Hard, IMF Warns.”
— Source: Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF’s chief economist | April 22, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war will significantly impact the global economy and has increased the risk of a financial crisis, the International Monetary Fund warned.

Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF’s chief economist

"The uncertainty in trade policy, and policy generally right now, is a big drag on global activity," Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas told AFP ahead of Tuesday's publication of the IMF World Economic Outlook report. 

"And the sooner we can lift it, the better off everyone will be," he said, adding: "Bringing back stability, clarity, predictability to the trading system is the first order of business."

Trump's new tariffs contribute to nearly half of the significant reduction in the IMF's growth forecast for the US this year. Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF's chief economist, mentioned in a blog post that uncertainty surrounding policy has already weakened demand in the US, even before the recent announcements about the tariffs.

Gourinchas noted that the tariffs implemented by Trump have raised the U.S. tariff rate, in real terms, to a level higher than it was during the Great Depression in the 1930s. In response, major trading partners of the U.S. have also increased their tariffs, contributing to a significant rise in the global tariff rate. As a result, global trade, which has consistently supported growth rates and kept inflation in check for the past 35 years, is expected to grow this year at only half the rate that the Fund anticipated just three months ago.

The latest World Economic Outlook was compiled under “exceptional” circumstances, the IMF stated. Trump’s announcement of sweeping tariffs on April 2 “forced us to abandon our projections, which were nearly finalized at that point,” it noted.

 
 
“DW News Africa with Michael Okwu.”
— Source

Can Africans trust Trump to do a deal in ninety days? What's policy one day is postponed the next: After Liberation Day, it's Hesitation Day - the highest tariffs slapped on African nations, then slashed for a three month pause. South African farmers in Citrusdal export millions of oranges to US markets. They're worried that Trump's tariff uncertainty is putting thousands of African jobs at risk.

“UPDATE: US lawmakers have introduced a draft bill proposing a 5 percent excise tax on all remittances sent abroad. This proposal could significantly impact African countries that rely heavily on funds from their diaspora.”
— Source: May 14, 2025

US lawmakers have introduced a draft bill proposing a 5 percent excise tax on all remittances sent abroad. This proposal could significantly impact African countries that rely heavily on funds from their diaspora. The bill, presented by House Republicans, specifies that the sender will be responsible for paying the tax, which will be collected quarterly by the US Treasury Department. This initiative is part of a series of stringent measures implemented under President Donald Trump's administration, which has recently intensified its immigration and trade policies. #DWAfrica

For more information on the "GOP Proposal to Tax Remittances," please refer to the key facts.

GOP Proposal to Tax Remittances: KEY FACTS

Diaspora-Dependent Economies at Risk

The proposed remittance tax has triggered alarm among African experts and governments, where diaspora remittances serve as a lifeline for millions of families. In countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Ethiopia, remittances account for a significant portion of GDP, often surpassing foreign direct investment and aid flows.

Policy in Line with Trump’s Tougher Agenda

The remittance tax proposal reflects a continuing trend under the Trump administration toward stricter border control, immigration limits, and transactional foreign policy. It comes on the heels of recent crackdowns on asylum seekers, expanded visa restrictions, and tariff-driven trade negotiations.

Read More
Politics, USA, Immigration Theo Edwards Politics, USA, Immigration Theo Edwards

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Registration Requirement to Take Effect April 11, 2025

The new immigration rule will take effect on April 11, 2025. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) requiring non-citizens who remain in the U.S. for 30 days or more and were not previously registered to register and be fingerprinted.

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital
 Footnote: Watch the eye-opening video: 'What Happens to Your Assets and Savings If You Face Deportation?' Whether you're living in the U.S. on a visa, waiting for permanent residency, or undocumented, savings, bank accounts, and retirement funds could be at serious risk if deportation becomes a reality.

The new immigration rule will take effect on April 11, 2025. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) requiring non-citizens who remain in the U.S. for 30 days or more and were not previously registered to register and be fingerprinted.

Individuals who are considered already registered include: Individuals issued immigrant or nonimmigrant visas before their last date of arrival

  • Individuals admitted to the United States as nonimmigrants who were issued Form I-94 or I-94W (paper or electronic)

  • Lawful permanent residents

  • Individuals issued an employment authorization document

  • Individuals paroled into the United States

  • Individuals placed into removal proceedings

  • Individuals who have applied for lawful permanent residence using Forms I-485, I-687, I-691, I-698, I-700, and provided fingerprints, even if the applications were denied

  • Individuals issued Border Crossing Cards

Alien Registration Form and Evidence of Registration

A Rule by the Homeland Security Department on 03/12/2025

READ

Diplomats and officials with A and G visa status, as well as certain American Indians born in Canada, are exempt from the registration requirement.

USCIS has published additional information about the registration requirement.

Each individual not already considered registered must create their own USCIS Online Account. Non-citizen children under the age of 14 must apply to register and be fingerprinted (unless waived) within 30 days of their fourteenth birthday. Children under the age of 14 must be registered by their parents/guardians. And also create an online account on their child’s behalf, in their child’s name. Once the USCIS online account is created, the registrant must complete G-325R.

Canadian visitors who enter the U.S. at a land port of entry and were not issued Form I-94 at admission will be required to register if they remain in the U.S. for 30 days or longer.

Canadians require a visa to enter the US

“U.S. immigration lawyer Len Saunders says the U.S. enforcing a visitor registration law for Canadians is ‘disastrous’ because most won’t know about it and could face arrest.”
— New U.S. immigration rules for Canadians ‘disastrous,’ says lawyer | Hanomansing Tonight
 
 

An individual who deliberately fails or refuses to apply for registration or to be fingerprinted may face a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both. Failing to carry proof of registration at all times or to report a change of address can result in a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both. Furthermore, an individual who does not comply with the requirement to report a change of address may be subject to deportation unless the failure to report was not willful or was reasonably justified.

The same applies to the parents or guardians of those under the age of 14 who fail to comply. Those who are 18 years or older are required to carry proof of their registration and fingerprinting at all times. Failure to do so may result in a misdemeanor charge, which could incur a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for no more than 30 days, or both. This constitutes a criminal offense.

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital
“UPDATE: US lawmakers have introduced a draft bill proposing a 5 percent excise tax on all remittances sent abroad. This proposal could significantly impact African countries that rely heavily on funds from their diaspora.”
— Source: May 14, 2025

US lawmakers have introduced a draft bill proposing a 5 percent excise tax on all remittances sent abroad. This proposal could significantly impact African countries that rely heavily on funds from their diaspora. The bill, presented by House Republicans, specifies that the sender will be responsible for paying the tax, which will be collected quarterly by the US Treasury Department. This initiative is part of a series of stringent measures implemented under President Donald Trump's administration, which has recently intensified its immigration and trade policies. #DWAfrica

For more information on the "GOP Proposal to Tax Remittances," please refer to the key facts.

GOP Proposal to Tax Remittances: KEY FACTS

Diaspora-Dependent Economies at Risk

The proposed remittance tax has triggered alarm among African experts and governments, where diaspora remittances serve as a lifeline for millions of families. In countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Ethiopia, remittances account for a significant portion of GDP, often surpassing foreign direct investment and aid flows.

Policy in Line with Trump’s Tougher Agenda

The remittance tax proposal reflects a continuing trend under the Trump administration toward stricter border control, immigration limits, and transactional foreign policy. It comes on the heels of recent crackdowns on asylum seekers, expanded visa restrictions, and tariff-driven trade negotiations.

“Whether you’re living in the U.S. on a visa, waiting for permanent residency, or undocumented, savings, bank accounts, and retirement funds could be at serious risk if deportation becomes a reality.”
— Source: Watch the eye-opening video: 'What Happens to Your Assets and Savings If You Face Deportation?'
Read More