Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration has officially exempted smartphones, computers, and other popular electronics from a sweeping set of new "reciprocal" global tariffs, easing potential cost burdens on American consumers.

According to a notice published late Friday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the exemptions apply to a broad range of electronic goods imported from China — including smartphones, computer components, and other high-tech devices — which had faced an additional 145 percent tariff.

Notably, semiconductors have also been excluded from both the baseline 10 percent tariff applied to most U.S. trading partners and the additional 125 percent surcharge specifically targeting imports from China.

These exclusions narrow the scope of the tariffs announced earlier this month by former President Donald Trump, particularly the aggressive rates imposed on Chinese goods under his “reciprocal tariffs” strategy. The administration has justified the measures as a response to what it considers unfair trade practices by China and other nations.

Earlier this week, a new 125 percent tariff on Chinese goods went into effect, supplementing an earlier 20 percent levy imposed in connection with China's alleged involvement in illicit fentanyl supply chains. Combined with previous tariffs, the total import tax on some electronics had risen to a staggering 145 percent.

The decision to exempt key technology products comes as a relief to consumers and industries alike, especially since many of the affected items — such as hard drives and computer processors — are not manufactured in the United States.

While Trump has positioned tariffs as a tool to revive American manufacturing, experts suggest that building out domestic production capacity for such high-tech components could take several years.