Liberal Senator Elizabeth Warren has criticized US President Trump’s decision to exempt some consumer technology imports from tariffs. She believes the move was made in “support” to Apple CEO Tim Cook, who donated to Donald Trump’s inauguration. 

In an April 12 X post, the Massachusetts Democrat accused the administration of rewarding major donors. “Apple CEO Tim Cook donated $1 million to Donald Trump’s inauguration,” Warren wrote. “Looks like he’s getting a big return on his investment.”

Apple CEO Tim Cook donated $1 million to Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Looks like he’s getting a big return on his investment. https://t.co/8Sg8Pqm0kZ

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) April 12, 2025

The tariff exclusions were published late Friday by US Customs and Border Protection. It exempts smartphones, laptops, hard drives, memory chips, and flat-screen displays from Trump’s baseline 10% global tariff and punitive 125% duty targeting China. 

The changes were retroactively applied as of April 5 and could offer significant financial relief to tech manufacturers, many of whom have deep ties to China and other global supply hubs.

$390 billion in imports affected

According to US trade data compiled by the RAND Corporation’s Gerard DiPippo, the exemptions cover nearly $390 billion in imports, with over $101 billion sourced from China. 

Smartphones make up the largest segment, accounting for $41 billion in Chinese imports alone in 2024, roughly 9% of all US imports from China. Another $36 billion in computers and related devices were also spared.

The White House has released several statements to defend the tariffs, saying they could help attract tech manufacturers back to America. 

“President Trump has made it clear America cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones, and laptops,” said Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday. “That’s why the president has secured trillions of dollars in US investments from the largest tech companies in the world.”

She added that companies are “hustling to onshore” production to the North.

Consumer relief and political blowback

For consumers, the reprieve is much welcomed. But for Democrats, it is a point for argument over how Trump is favoring the business class. Fears over increased prices led many to rush purchases of smartphones and electronics before the tariffs could take effect. 

The change brings immediate financial breathing room for technology giants like Apple and Nvidia, whose global supply chains are concentrated in East Asia.

Still, Senator Warren sees the policy as skewed toward corporate interests. 

“Trump’s on-and-off-again tariffs leave the door wide open for billionaire corporations to suck up for corrupt deals while leaving small businesses, farmers, and families out in the cold. Congress must rein in Trump’s worldwide tariffs by shutting off his bogus emergency,” she reckoned

One critic who supported Warren’s concerns noted, “Mega corporations like $AAPL and their Wall Street investors get exemptions while small companies, the biggest employers btw, continue to face damage caused by tariffs on what they import. How is this ‘favoring Main Street over Wall Street?’ It seems like the exact opposite.”

The decision is the first significant “softening” in Trump’s position in the standoff with China since he returned to office. The exclusion list was notably expansive, covering not just Chinese goods but also components from Taiwan and Mexico. 

Products like servers and chips used in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, hardware that is typically assembled outside the United States, will also not face levies temporarily.

Previously, exemptions included some semiconductors such as central processing units (CPUs) but did not cover AI-centric technologies like graphics processing units (GPUs) or the high-performance servers they power. 

The revised announcement on Friday included these critical systems, offering relief to firms like Nvidia, who rely heavily on offshore production.

Analyst Daniel Ives of Wedbush Securities mentioned that the industry pressure forced President Trump to take a different direction. 

“The US tech industry has a loud voice, and despite initial strong pushback against exemptions within the White House, the reality of the situation was finally recognized in the Beltway,” Ives wrote in a research note.

National security and remaining tariffs

Even though the US administration lifted tariffs on consumer electronics, others still stand. The administration’s 20% tariff targeting Chinese firms linked to fentanyl production remains in force. 

That separate measure is intended to pressure Beijing to act on drug enforcement and does not fall under the scope of the consumer electronics exemptions. Older tariffs enacted before Trump’s second term also remain unaffected.

Supporters of the tariff adjustments argue the move will help American-based manufacturers when the dust settles. 

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