Trump imposes 25% tariff on Nvidia AI chips and others, citing national security

Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on specific AI chips, including Nvidia's H200 and AMD's MI325X, citing national security concerns. The action, stemming from a Section 232 investigation, aims to incentivize domestic chip production and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, particularly Taiwan. The tariffs target high-end semiconductors meeting certain performance benchmarks and devices containing them. Exemptions exist for chips imported for US datacenters, startups, consumer applications, civil industrial applications, and the public sector. This follows Trump's December announcement of potential tariffs on Chinese semiconductor imports, delayed until 2027, and a requirement for China-bound chips to detour from Taiwan.