By: John Dover, Economic Correspondent
April 14, 2025
Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump dropped a major tariff update on Truth Social this morning, April 14, 2025, clarifying the so-called “exceptions” for consumer electronics and reaffirming his hardline stance against countries like China, whom he accused of “disrespecting the American People” through decades of trade abuses. The announcement, which came after Friday’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection bulletin, sent global markets soaring, with investors initially relieved by the temporary reprieve for tech products—though Trump’s warning of upcoming national security tariffs tempered the optimism.
In his post, Trump declared, “NOBODY is getting ‘off the hook’ for the unfair Trade Balances… especially not China which, by far, treats us the worst!” He clarified that products like smartphones and semiconductors weren’t exempted but were moved to a “different Tariff ‘bucket’” under the existing 20% Fentanyl Tariffs, slamming the “Fake News” for misreporting. Trump also teased a forthcoming “National Security Tariff Investigation” into semiconductors and the “WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN,” echoing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s April 13 statement on ABC that new duties on these goods are coming within “a month or two,” per The Guardian []. “We will not be held hostage by other Countries, especially hostile trading Nations like China,” Trump added, promising a “Golden Age of America” with more domestic manufacturing.
Markets reacted swiftly to Friday’s bulletin, which excluded smartphones, computers, and semiconductors from the reciprocal tariffs—initially set at 145% on Chinese goods, per Reuters []. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index surged 2.4%, with its Tech Index up over 2%, while Shanghai’s Composite Index rose 0.76%, per a Reuters report on April 14. Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 1.18%, South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.95%, and Europe’s STOXX 600 jumped 1.8% on opening, with Germany’s DAX up over 2%. U.S. futures also trended higher, with Nasdaq futures leading at 1.57%. But Trump’s clarification—and the looming semiconductor tariffs—introduced uncertainty, as analysts like Francesco Pesole of ING noted a “dollar crisis” driven by tariff volatility, per The Hindu [].
Conservatives on X, like @MAGAForce2024, hailed Trump’s resolve: “Trump’s not backing down—China’s been screwing us for years, and now they’re begging!” @PatriotPulse added, “This is how you bring jobs back—force them to make stuff here!” Despite the market gains, Trump’s warning of stricter tariffs aligns with his broader agenda, including recent tax and regulation cuts passed by Congress on April 11, per a White House press release. For Trump supporters, the announcement is a win for American manufacturing, even as markets brace for the next tariff wave. As @America1stMAGA put it, “The Golden Age is here—Trump’s playing hardball, and it’s working!”
