"Tech companies may have already grown numb to Trump's unpredictable moves. Back in February, Trump warned Americans to expect "a little pain" after he issued executive orders imposing 10-25 percent tariffs on imports from America's biggest trading partners, including Canada, China, and Mexico. Immediately, industry associations sounded the alarm, warning that the costs of consumer tech could increase significantly. By April, Trump had ordered tariffs on all US trade partners to correct claimed trade deficits, using odd math that critics suspected came from a chatbot. (Those tariffs bizarrely targeted uninhabited islands that exported nothing and were populated by penguins.)"
"Right from the jump in February, Apple got backed into a corner after Trump threatened a "flat" 60 percent tariff on all Chinese imports, which experts said could have substantially taxed Apple's business. Moving to appease Trump, Apple promised to invest $500 billion in the US in hopes of avoiding tariffs, but that didn't take the pressure off for long."
Donald Trump's first-year trade actions imposed broad, unpredictable tariffs that left the technology sector unable to predict future policy moves. Initial executive orders applied 10-25 percent tariffs on major trading partners, then expanded to all partners using questionable calculations. Tariff costs increased over the year, raising industry concerns about higher consumer tech prices. The technology industry largely refrained from direct confrontation, instead making strategic concessions and adjustments. Apple faced potential steep tariffs on Chinese imports and pledged $500 billion in US investment to reduce exposure. Proposals to fully shift iPhone production to the United States were judged impractical and costly, and scrutiny of major firms continued.
Read at Ars Technica
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