Local technician weighs in on Trump’s vow of 100% tariff on imported chips
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A proposed 100% tariff on imported microchips is drawing national attention and concern from local businesses that rely heavily on foreign-made electronics.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a plan to levy a 100% tariff on all semiconductors made outside the United States, unless companies commit to building chip manufacturing plants in the U.S. Apple is among those expected to receive exceptions, after pledging to shift more production domestically.
While the policy is not yet in effect, and no timeline has been announced, local repair experts say it could have major ripple effects if enacted.
At DML Computer Repair in Colorado Springs, Master Technician David Baker says the tariff could significantly raise the cost of tech repairs, because nearly all of the components they work with rely on chips produced overseas.
"Most every chip for any component, for any computer that is built... most of those chips are manufactured outside of the United States," Baker explained.
That includes not just computers, but also solid-state drives (SSDs), RAM, CPUs, and even gaming systems like Xbox and PlayStation, Baked said. He added that modern vehicles are also at risk, noting that many new cars use Nvidia chips, the same ones found in gaming consoles and high-end PCs.
"The price of repairs is going to go up. I mean, there's no way around it," Baker said. "It can affect more than just one industry."
According to Baker, it’s unclear how the tariff would be applied, whether to individual chips or to complete components containing multiple semiconductors. He says the shop is taking a wait-and-see approach as the details remain uncertain.
"We just have to wait to see how it affects. There's not much that we can do to prepare."
The proposed policy is part of Trump’s broader push to boost U.S.-based manufacturing and reduce dependence on foreign supply chains, particularly in critical industries like semiconductors.
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