Trump Tech Policies Jolt Silicon Valley With $100K H-1B Fee, Chipmaker Levies, and a U.S. Stake in Intel

Overview

• The administration announced a $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas, a cost experts say smaller firms will struggle to absorb.
• The White House said it plans to claim 15% of Nvidia and AMD revenue from AI-chip sales to China, though the Commerce Department has not issued rules detailing how it would work.
• The U.S. purchased roughly 10% of Intel as a passive stake, drawing support from Sen. Bernie Sanders and questions from Sen. Elizabeth Warren over oversight and altered CHIPS Act conditions.
• President Trump has threatened 100% tariffs on semiconductor imports for companies that do not commit to U.S. manufacturing, heightening supply-chain uncertainty, industry groups say.
• Apple secured tariff exemptions for iPhones after Tim Cook pledged $100 billion in U.S. manufacturing investment, underscoring uneven bargaining power across the sector.