The United States government has launched a national security investigation into the semiconductor and electronics supply chain, signaling a major escalation in its efforts to safeguard critical technology sectors.
The move was announced by President Donald Trump on Sunday as he traveled back to Washington from his estate in West Palm Beach.
Trump described the investigation as essential to ensuring that key technologies such as semiconductors and related electronics are manufactured domestically. “We want to make our chips and semiconductors and other things in our country,” the president told reporters aboard Air Force One.
He stressed that the initiative aims to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, particularly amid ongoing tensions with China.
In a statement posted on social media earlier in the day, Trump confirmed that the administration is “taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN” as part of the upcoming national security tariff investigations. The probe will examine vulnerabilities within the technology sector and explore measures to strengthen domestic production capabilities.
The launch of the investigation follows Friday’s announcement by the White House of selective exclusions for certain consumer electronics from newly imposed reciprocal tariffs. However, administration officials have clarified that these exemptions are temporary and that critical technology products, including smartphones, computers, and semiconductor devices, will likely face separate new duties within the next two months.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that the administration plans to introduce “a special focus-type of tariff” targeting semiconductors, smartphones, computers, and other electronics products. These tariffs would operate independently from the broader reciprocal tariffs, which last week raised levies on Chinese imports to as much as 125%.
The decision to initiate the national security review reflects growing concerns within the administration about supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly in industries deemed vital for national defense and economic stability. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, meanwhile, issued a notice to shippers excluding 20 categories of technology products from current import taxes, including computers, laptops, semiconductor memory chips, and flat panel displays.
No timeline has been provided for the conclusion of the investigation, but officials have indicated that the findings could lead to sweeping changes in trade policy, new tariffs, or additional restrictions on imports from strategic competitors.
As part of a broader strategy, the administration has also opened negotiations with allied nations including the United Kingdom, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and Israel, while signaling that trade talks with China remain on hold.
The national security investigation marks a significant shift in U.S. trade and industrial policy, with technology and electronics supply chains now positioned at the center of geopolitical and economic competition.
