The U.S. President announces that he will reveal new tariffs next week, directly contradicting statements made by his Secretary of Commerce
The tension between the Trump administration and the tech sector has added a new chapter this week, following contradictory statements from former President Donald Trump and his Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick. Within just a few hours, both provided different accounts of when the anticipated—and feared—tariffs on imported semiconductors would be implemented, causing confusion in both the industry and financial markets.
In a recent interview, Lutnick warned that the tariffs, which could exceed 145% on Chinese products, would not be temporary or symbolic. “This is not some sort of permanent exemption,” he stated. The Secretary emphasized that the government’s intent is clear: “We want products like iPhones to be manufactured here, in the United States.”
Lutnick cited examples like Panasonic and its new battery plant in Kansas, which began development during Trump’s previous term and is set to open soon. For the Secretary, this plant symbolizes the reindustrialization vision that the administration wants to replicate, even in such strategic sectors as semiconductors. According to his remarks, the tariffs could be ready “in one or two months,” although he did not provide specific dates.
However, it was Trump himself who contradicted this timeline just hours later. From Air Force One, the former President announced that the tariff rate on chips and semiconductors will be revealed next week, adding that there would be “some flexibility” for certain companies in the sector. This message has been interpreted by analysts as an attempt to soften the impact among major tech players, following potential contacts with top executives from the so-called “Big Seven.”
This change in narrative has been met with skepticism in the markets, where volatility has surged amid rumors, speculation, and a lack of a clear line from the White House. Industry experts agree that such contradictions, rather than being mistakes, may be part of a premeditated strategy: to create uncertainty as a tool of economic and diplomatic pressure.
“It’s a well-calculated fear policy,” some Wall Street analysts opine. “It’s not about whether there will be tariffs or not, but when and to what extent they will be imposed. This constant insecurity is part of the message,” they assert.
Trump’s announcement does not clarify which companies will be exempt nor what criteria will apply for those possible “flexibilities.” Meanwhile, chip manufacturers, integrators, and players in the global semiconductor supply chain remain on alert for regulatory changes that could have profound implications for the global tech industry.
Everything points to the fact that next week the exact percentage of the tariffs will finally be revealed. Still, it remains to be seen whether that figure will be definitive or part of a new move in the geopolitical chess game that Trump seems to be playing. The only thing that is certain, for now, is that the clock has started ticking within the 90-day window previously announced by the U.S. President to implement restrictions. A countdown that keeps Silicon Valley and much of the world on edge.
Source: El chapuzas informático