On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced plans to increase tariffs on Chinese imports to 20 percent, doubling the existing 10 percent tax on those goods. This escalation is expected to raise the cost of consumer electronics and other technology products that rely on Chinese manufacturing.
In a Truth Social post cited by the Associated Press, Trump also confirmed that he would impose 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico starting March 4. Justifying the decision, he wrote, “We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled.” He further stated that imports from China would see an additional 10 percent tariff on the same date.
The tech industry is already reacting to the news. Acer has announced that it will increase PC prices by 10 percent in response to the higher import costs. Meanwhile, Trump has also outlined plans for a separate 25 percent tariff on semiconductor imports, scheduled to take effect on April 2. This additional tariff could have widespread effects on technology pricing, given the reliance of major manufacturers on imported chips.
Although Trump has delayed tariff rollouts in the past—such as a temporary suspension of proposed tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods—these latest measures appear to be moving forward. With potential price hikes on a broad range of tech products, consumers and businesses alike may soon feel the impact of these trade policies.