U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned that the leadership of the United States semiconductor industry has been taken away by foreign countries, referencing South Korea and Taiwan.
On the 7th (local time), President Trump met with reporters at the White House and said, "We have lost the semiconductor industry, and it is almost in Taiwan," adding, "Taiwan stole it from us." He continued, "We could have easily protected the semiconductor business; it is almost in Taiwan and somewhat in South Korea."
This is the first time President Trump has mentioned South Korea alongside the semiconductor industry leadership in a public setting. President Trump has previously claimed multiple times that Taiwan has taken the U.S. semiconductor industry.
President Trump referred to the large-scale investment plan announced by Taiwan's TSMC and said, "We will bring back a large part of the semiconductor industry."
On this day, President Trump criticized the semiconductor law enacted during the previous Biden administration. The semiconductor law includes provisions to support corporations investing in the U.S. semiconductor industry with a total of $52.7 billion (about 76.4 trillion won) for five years. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix also signed contracts with the Biden administration to receive subsidies under this semiconductor law.
On the other hand, President Trump is of the view that if high tariffs are imposed without providing subsidies, corporations will have no choice but to produce semiconductors in the United States. President Trump reiterated this argument in a congressional speech on the 4th, urging the repeal of the semiconductor law.