Report: Trump plans to delay semiconductor tariffs to avoid escalation of US-China trade friction.

US officials privately indicated that they may not soon implement the long-promised semiconductor tariffs, which could delay an important part of President Trump's economic agenda. According to two sources directly familiar with the matter and another familiar with the discussions, this information was conveyed to government and private sector stakeholders in the past few days. A fourth person familiar with the matter also said that the US government is taking a more cautious approach. According to two informed sources, Trump's aides are dragging their feet on the chip tariff issue, working to avoid conflict with China over trade issues, which could lead to a new trade war and disrupt the supply of crucial rare earth minerals. These individuals warned that no decision is final until formally approved by the US government, and indicated that tariffs as high as three digits could be implemented at any time. In August, Trump stated that the US would impose approximately a 100% tariff on imported semiconductors, but exempt companies manufacturing in the US or committed to manufacturing in the US. Privately, Washington officials had told people over the past few months that the government would soon roll out these tariffs. However, with ongoing debates over timing and other details, this guidance has now shifted. White House spokespeople and US commerce department officials denied any change in the government's stance when asked about the discussions. Spokesperson Kush Desai said, "The Trump administration remains committed to using all administrative powers to bring back manufacturing critical to our nation and economic security. Any reporting to the contrary from anonymous sources is just fake news." US commerce department officials stated, "There has been no change in the commerce department's policy on semiconductor 232 tariffs." They did not specify when the tariffs threatened by the Trump administration earlier would be finalized, nor provide any other details. It is currently a sensitive time for Trump, with the Republican president facing growing consumer anxiety over rising prices during the holiday shopping season. Increasing taxes on imported semiconductors could raise the cost of consumer electronics purchases, affecting everything from refrigerators to smartphones. Reports in September indicated that the Trump administration was considering a plan to tax based on the number of chips in each electronic device. Last week, Trump revoked tariffs on over 200 food items, but also stated that import taxes had not significantly impacted inflation. The recent government shutdown has caused a delay in consumer price data release, but inflation rates have remained above the Federal Reserve's target level since President Biden took office. Trump has always believed that tariffs could revive jobs lost to other countries, including China, over the past few decades. In April this year, the Trump administration announced investigations into drug and semiconductor imports, aiming to impose tariffs on these products, citing national security threats posed by over-reliance on foreign production.