President Donald Trump on Sunday said there will be no exceptions for tariffs on electronics and that he would clarify his administration's policy on Monday.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced late Friday that some smartphones, computers, chips and other electronics would be exempted from tariffs, but Trump's top economic advisers hit the Sunday talk shows to explain the policy, saying that tariffs against electronics would be coming in the next month or two.
“There was no Tariff ‘exemption’ announced on Friday," Trump posted Sunday afternoon, and that semiconductor tariffs will “just be moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket.’”
Trump's 104% tariff rate on China to go into effect early Wednesday
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday that Trump's threatened additional 50% tariff on China will go into effect early Wednesday, bringing the total tariff rate against Beijing to 104%.
"They will be going into effect at 12:01 a.m.," she said.
"It was a mistake for China to retaliate. The president, when America is punched, he punches back harder," Leavitt said. She added Trump believes China "wants to make a deal" but doesn't know where to start.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, April 8, 2025, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
Apr 08, 2025, 1:33 PM EDT
How long will tariff negotiations take? WH says they're moving at 'Trump speed'
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked during Tuesday's briefing if President Trump is operating on any specific timeline for when he wants to complete negotiations on tariffs.
"Well, we always move at Trump speed here at the White House, which is incredibly fast," she responded.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks to members of the media, in the briefing room at the White House in Washington, April 8, 2025.
Leah Millis/Reuters
Leavitt added, "the president likes to get things done, but he's very much focused on ensuring that these deals are good for the American worker, they are good for American manufacturing, and again, that they tackle these crippling deficits with these countries."
They will be "tailor-made deals," Leavitt said, with Trump directing his entire trade team to be involved in the effort.
Apr 08, 2025, 12:59 PM EDT
European, Asian stocks partly rebound, but analysts warn further volatility is likely
Stocks in Europe and Asia partially rebounded Tuesday, buoyed by signals from the White House that it is open to talks on tariffs with countries.
The UK’s FTSE, Germany’s DAX and the pan-European Stoxx 600 closed at 2.5% or above.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei jumped over 6%, while China’s Shanghai Composite index closed at 1.4%.
However, analysts warn further volatility is likely, with Trump’s higher-rate tariffs due to go into effect Wednesday and the EU also preparing to impose its own retaliatory tariffs.
The EU reportedly plans to impose import duties of up to 25% on a range of US goods, including diamonds, motorbikes, luxury boats, domestic appliances, tobacco, poultry and many other agricultural products.
-ABC News' Patrick Reevell
Apr 08, 2025, 12:38 PM EDT
Republican senators express concerns about lack of tariff exemptions
Republican senators on the Senate Finance Committee admonished U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer over President Donald Trump's position against offering exemptions to his sweeping tariffs.
"I'm somewhat disappointed to hear that exclusions of some of these things are-- are being ruled out at this point in time," said Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson.
"They're very specific situations that I think you ought to consider exclusions for because, I don't often agree with the members on the other side of the aisle, but in many cases here today, particularly when they're expressing concern about small businesses in their states, I'm hoping ... you and the president are very sensitive about companies potentially going bankrupt by these actions," Johnson continued.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee, April 8, 2025 in Washington.
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images
Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, also largely focused his questions on exemptions.
"Whose throat do I get to choke if this proves to be wrong?" Tillis asked Greer about the sweeping tariffs "alla prima" approach.
"Well, senator, you can certainly always talk to me," Greer said.
