On September 26, reports surfaced indicating that the Trump administration is formulating a new strategy. This strategy is designed to diminish the United States' dependence on semiconductors produced overseas, foster domestic chip manufacturing, and restructure the global semiconductor supply chain.

The crux of this plan is to mandate that chip companies ensure an approximate 1:1 balance between the volume of chips manufactured within the United States and the quantity imported by their customers from abroad. Insiders with knowledge of the situation disclosed that should companies consistently fail to uphold this balance, they will be subject to additional tariffs.

The origins of this plan can be traced back to an idea floated by Trump the previous month. He suggested that technology firms could evade hefty tariffs on semiconductor imports by increasing their investments in the United States. However, the proposed requirement for capacity parity is more stringent than merely ramping up domestic investment. This is because overseas semiconductor products are generally more cost-effective, adjusting supply chains is a complex undertaking, and enhancing domestic supply capabilities in the United States is a time-consuming process.

If put into effect, this plan has the potential to further entangle the already convoluted tariff system.