February 03, 2025
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1 big thing: Industry frets over fallout from Trump's tariffs
The tech industry is bracing for impact from President Trump's tariffs, Axios' Mackenzie Weinger reports.
The big picture: Trump's tariffs are expected to raise prices on tech like laptops and cell phones.
- Trump has long been fixated on tariffs, and now he's following through on his campaign trade pledges.
- Buckle up: Trump said repeatedly over the last week that tariffs on foreign-made chips are coming soon on his list.
What they're saying: "Misusing tariffs alienates our allies, aggravates our adversaries, closes markets to U.S. exports and investments, and weakens the global trading system that has powered America's economic growth for decades," Consumer Technology Association CEO Gary Shapiro said in a statement.
- Information Technology Industry Council CEO Jason Oxman: "We urge the Trump Administration to aim for clear, constructive outcomes in its negotiations with foreign governments, avoid trade restrictions and weakened North American economic ties to the extent possible, and roll back the tariffs when outcomes are achieved."
- Semiconductor industry groups SIA and SEMI did not respond to requests for comment as of publication time.
The latest: Trump on Monday posted that the U.S. would pause tariffs on Mexico for "a one month period during which we will have negotiations."
- Trump this weekend had announced a 25% tariff on all goods from Mexico and most from Canada would go into effect tomorrow, along with an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods.
- Trump declared a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act and imposed these tariffs under IEEPA.
- A president has never used IEEPA to impose tariffs before, so expect legal challenges.
"Eventually we're going to put tariffs on chips. We're going to put tariffs on oil and gas, that'll happen fairly soon. I think around the 18th of February," Trump said Friday in the Oval Office.
- Earlier last week he told House Republicans at their retreat that chips tariffs would be coming "in the very near future."
- On the campaign trail, he told "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast that he wanted to impose high tariffs to make chip manufacturers build factories in the U.S: "You tariff it so high that they will come and build their chip companies for nothing."
What's next: Trump could go the IEEPA route on chips tariffs to try to avoid the procedural restraints and limits on scope that other trade authorities require.
- This move would likely face legal challenges.
- The Commerce Department could otherwise have to launch either a Section 232 national security investigation for chips tariffs or collaborate with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on a Section 301 economic burden investigation — both of which could take up to a year.
2. Hill hearing watch: Nominations, kids' safety and more
It's a busy week in tech policy — here's what we're eyeing.
1. Commerce action: Mark your calendars for this Wednesday, when the Senate Commerce Committee takes up Howard Lutnick's nomination and an array of bills at its 10am ET executive session.
- Lawmakers are expected to easily advance Lutnick's nomination to be Commerce secretary to the Senate floor.
- They'll also consider two pieces of tech policy legislation we highlighted for you last week: the Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act and the Kids Off Social Media Act.
2. Science survey: House Science gathers at the same time on Wednesday to officially kick off its work this Congress, with a hearing immediately following focused on the state of U.S. science and technology.
3. Tech workforce: Also on Wednesday at 10am ET, the House Homeland Security Committee holds a hearing titled "Preparing the Pipeline: Examining the State of America's Cyber Workforce."
4. USTR nomination: The Senate Finance Committee convenes a nomination hearing on Thursday at 10am ET to consider Jamieson Greer to be United States Trade Representative.
- What to watch: We'll be listening for any insights on Trump's tariffs and what's next for digital trade from Greer, who served as chief of staff to then-USTR Robert Lighthizer during the first Trump administration.
✅ Thank you for reading Axios Pro Policy, and thanks to editors Mackenzie Weinger and David Nather and copy editor Bryan McBournie.
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