Semiconductors: Donald Trump shakes up the chip sector

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By proposing a 100% tax increase on semiconductors, the American president intends to convince the industry's giants to invest in the United States. At the risk of strengthening monopolies and weakening smaller players.

Donald Trump at the White House on August 5, 2025. (Brendan Smialowski /AFP)

A major announcement ahead of a possible, and still hypothetical, major tariff blow. By declaring on the evening of Wednesday, August 6, that he was considering imposing a tariff of "around 100%" on chips imported into the United States, Donald Trump intends to shake up the strategic semiconductor industry and put pressure back on companies in the sector to invest and produce in the country.

This statement came as Apple, through its CEO, Tim Cook, announced that it was investing an additional $100 billion (after the $500 billion already promised) in its domestic market. Without specifying a timetable, Trump clarified that "he