Overview
- Multiple unnamed officials told government and industry contacts in recent days that semiconductor duties may not arrive soon, reversing earlier guidance of an imminent rollout.
- A White House official and a Commerce Department official rejected any suggestion of a policy change and offered no clarity on timing.
- Advisers are weighing the risk of provoking Beijing and disrupting rare earth supplies alongside the prospect of higher consumer costs on electronics.
- The president has floated roughly 100% tariffs under Section 232 with exemptions for companies producing in the United States, and triple‑digit levies remain possible at any time.
- Timing remains unresolved after October talks with Xi Jinping in Busan paused trade escalation, while partners such as Samsung and SK hynix watch for details that could hinge on U.S. production commitments.