Apple has asked the Trump administration to exclude 15 components from import tariffs, according to U.S. Trade Representative comment filings published recently.
Apple filed a series of exemption requests with the Office of the US Trade Representative first made public on July 18th, asking that the government exempt a series of specific products from a proposed 25 percent tariff on goods imported from China. The tariffs have not yet been fully implemented, but the plan would include electronics, which could severely affect the bottom line of tech companies like Apple.
The documents don’t directly mention the Mac Pro, but Bloomberg notes that the parts described appear to be designed for the desktop computer. The listed parts include a CPU heatsink, a graphics processing module, and a computer frame and enclosure. Apple is also asking for the exclusion of some of its accessories, including the Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2.
While the filings do not specify which Apple product houses the components, descriptions of the parts indicate they are inputs for the Mac Pro, a high-end computer set to go on sale later this year starting at $5,999.
The Trump administration has used tech imports as a bargaining chip in negotiations with China, a plan that could be costly to major tech companies manufacturing in the country. The administration previously put in place 10 percent tariffs on some product parts, although Apple was ultimately able to avoid tariffs on devices like the Apple Watch and AirPods.
Several companies, including Apple and Microsoft, have already raised concerns with the US Trade Representative about the tariffs.
