Trump Will Implement Steel Import And Semiconductor Chip Tariffs In The Next Weeks

JAKARTA US President Donald Trump has stated that he will soon impose import rates on steel and semiconductor chips in the coming weeks.

Speaking to reporters aboard the Air Force One presidential plane on their way to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Trump said the tariff would be announced next week and the following week.

"I will set tariffs next week and the week after for steel and, I say, chips," he said, Friday local time quoted by VOI from Reuters.

Trump explained that tariffs will be applied with a gradual scheme. In the early stages, tariffs will be installed at a lower level to give companies time to build production capacity in the country. After a certain period, tariffs will rise significantly, following the same pattern as the tariff plan in the pharmaceutical sector.

I will set a low tariff at the beginning give them the opportunity to enter and build then it is very high after a certain period, Trump explained. He believes this strategy will encourage companies to produce in the US rather than bear high rates.

Since returning to office, Trump has rocked global trade by raising tariffs for nearly all countries, including special import duties for certain sectors such as automotive. In February 2025, he raised steel and aluminum tariffs to 25%, then doubled steel rates to 50% in May to support domestic producers.

It is not yet clear whether this new tariff plan will increase the previously enforced steel and aluminum tariffs. Last week, Trump had conveyed plans to apply a 100% tariff on semiconductor imports, but companies committed to building production facilities in the US would be exempt from the tariff.

Trump's statement was delivered in conjunction with the announcement that Apple would increase its 100 billion US dollars investment (around Rp1.633 trillion) in the domestic market.