US President Donald Trump has directly pressured global chip manufacturers with his latest statement targeting the semiconductor industry. Trump announced that chip companies manufacturing outside the US will face 100% tariffs. In contrast, companies manufacturing in the US or making concrete investment commitments will be exempt from these hefty taxes.

Donald Trump is pushing chip manufacturers to invest

Trump’s statement came on the same day Apple announced its new $100 billion investment in the US. Trump said that companies that decide to manufacture in the US will not pay any taxes.

However, he stated that if these promises are not kept, the deferred taxes will be collected in bulk later. “If for some reason you say you’ll build and don’t, we’ll come back and calculate it, accumulate it, and collect it from you later, and you have to pay,” he said.

Trump’s statements came just before the US imposed tariffs ranging from 10% to 50% on dozens of its trading partners. Turkey was also subject to a 15 percent customs duty in this context. It was reported that the new tax decisions on chip and high-tech products are being evaluated within the framework of national security investigations, and the final decision will be announced in mid-August.

South Korea stated that Samsung and SK Hynix will not be affected by these tax increases. Both companies have large-scale production facilities in the US, which qualifies them for exemptions.

However, this plan represents a direct blow to countries like the Philippines and Malaysia, which have competitive advantages based on production costs. Significant disruptions are expected in the production chains of these countries, which export heavily to the US.

Trump’s statements also signal a new division in the chip industry. This system, which favors companies with high production capacity and capital, leaves companies like TSMC, which already manufacture in the US, in an advantageous position. Nvidia is among the companies preparing to adapt to this new order with multi-billion dollar investment plans in the US.

Economist Brian Jacobsen commented on these developments by saying, “Companies large enough to manufacture in America and have plenty of cash will benefit the most. This is a survival of the fittest.”