Overview

• The Wall Street Journal reports the administration is considering requiring companies to match U.S. chip output to the volume their customers import, with noncompliance triggering tariffs.
• Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has discussed the idea with semiconductor executives, and a White House spokesperson called reliance on foreign chips a security risk while noting the reporting remains speculative.
• The proposal would credit companies for pledged U.S. capacity, allowing continued imports without penalties until new plants come online, following Trump’s earlier signal that semiconductor tariffs could reach about 100%.
• Analysts say the approach could favor manufacturers expanding domestic fabs such as TSMC, Micron, and GlobalFoundries, while creating cost and compliance pressure for import‑reliant firms including Apple and Dell.
• Industry leaders warn U.S. capacity will take years to scale and carries a premium—AMD’s Lisa Su said Arizona‑made chips cost roughly 5% to 20% more than in Taiwan—complicating any near‑term ratio target.