The Trump administration is considering a second round of semiconductor tariffs that would extend duties beyond chips to finished products such as laptops, gaming consoles, and data center servers. According to a POLITICO report published today, eight anonymous sources familiar with the talks confirm that the proposal, still in its formative stages, could reshape global tech trade. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick favors a system that caps duty-free chip imports at a volume pegged to each company's U.S. production, as reported by four sources. Commerce officials have indicated that exemptions attached to January's 25% tariff, which cover data centers, R&D, startups, and consumer devices, may not be renewed.
The structure of new tariffs and the role of domestic production
The proposal includes a phase-in period, but the framework could change substantially in the coming weeks. Lutnick's plan would tie duty-free imports to U.S. manufacturing capacity, incentivizing companies to invest locally. However, the industry fears that current volumes of advanced chips vastly exceed what American fabs can produce in the short term. Taiwan produces over 90% of the world's leading-edge chips, and companies like TSMC have committed $265 billion to Arizona, but advanced production will only reach 30% of total capacity at full build-out. Industry representatives have stressed that a quota based on current capacity cannot cover the massive purchases by hyperscalers during the AI boom.
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January exemptions at risk and impact on key sectors
The exemptions written into Proclamation 11002, signed on January 14, include U.S. data centers, research and development, startups, repairs, non-data-center consumer and industrial applications, and public sector uses. These categories could now be eliminated, directly affecting companies like Amazon, Google, and Meta, whose members of the Computer and Communications Industry Association have compared the data center buildout to "building the transcontinental railroad". Jonathan McHale, digital policy chief, warned that added costs and unpredictability put these investments at risk. Tech lobbyists have met with Lutnick and Jeffrey Kessler, Under Secretary for Industry and Security, with increasing frequency since the start of summer, but three sources report that recent talks have moved against the industry.
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Industry reactions and future prospects
A White House spokesperson, Kush Desai, defended the approach, stating that reshoring chip manufacturing is a top priority for the president. However, one person involved estimated that building new fabs will take more than five years, longer than any phase-in allowed in previous tariff rounds. This could lead to supply chain disruptions, with price increases for laptops, consoles, and servers. Meanwhile, China is building its own chip industry, as reported in an in-depth analysis on sanctions. The situation is evolving, and the coming weeks will be crucial to see if tariffs are actually expanded, with possible global repercussions. For those following the sector, it is interesting to note how other players are reacting to these policies, for example with the release of new products like Samsung's 1100Hz gaming monitor, unveiled at Gamescom 2026, which could see costs rise if tariffs hit components. Additionally, Google's decision to fix a Google Home bug shows how companies are trying to maintain consumer trust amid economic uncertainty.
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