President Donald J. Trump has signed a proclamation invoking Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to address national security concerns tied to imports of semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing equipment and derivative products.
The proclamation directs the US Secretary of Commerce and the US Trade Representative to jointly negotiate or continue negotiations of agreements to address the threatened impairment of national security arising from such imports from any country.
The administration also imposed a 25% tariff on certain advanced computing chips including the NVIDIA H200 and the AMD MI325X. The tariff will not apply to chips imported to support the buildout of the US technology supply chain and strengthening of domestic manufacturing capacity for semiconductor derivatives.
Officials said broader tariffs on semiconductors and derivative products may follow, alongside a tariff offset program intended to incentivize domestic manufacturing, as previously announced by the White House.
The action follows the completion of a Section 232 investigation by the Secretary of Commerce, which concluded that current quantities and circumstances of imports threaten to impair US national security.
According to the findings, domestic capacity to produce semiconductors and key manufacturing equipment such as advanced lithography and etching tools remains insufficient to meet demand, leaving the US dependent on foreign sources.
The White House sees semiconductors as underpinning US economic growth, industrial output and military readiness. Disruptions to import reliant supply chains could strain capabilities.
The administration said the measures are designed to restore domestic production, reduce reliance on supply chains and strengthen economic and national security.
