US President Donald Trump said Monday that he is looking at "something" to help some automotive companies, as he was addressing a question over the possibility of tariff exemptions for certain product categories.
The president made the remarks during a press availability, while meeting El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele at the White House. His administration's 25 percent tariffs on imported cars went into effect earlier this month.
"We are looking at something to help some of the car companies," Trump said, noting that the companies are "switching to parts" that were made in Canada, Mexico and other places.
"They need a little bit of time because they are going to make them here," he added.
Asked if he will grant tariff exemptions to Apple products or smartphones, Trump said he is a "flexible" person.
"I don't change my mind, but I'm flexible," he said.
He went on to say he does not want to hurt anybody.
"But the end result is we are going to get to the position of greatness for our country with the greatest economic power in the world if we are smart," he said. "If we are not smart, we are going to hurt our country very badly."
Last week, the Trump administration decided to exempt a range of electronic devices, including smartphones, laptops and personal computers from high "reciprocal" tariffs, with retroactive effect from April 5 -- a welcome relief for tech companies.
But Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC on Sunday that those tariff exemptions were only temporary, and that smartphones and other electronics will be included in sectoral tariffs on semiconductors that will likely come "in a month or two." (Yonhap)
