US President Donald Trump signs a proclamation on protecting the domestic polysilicon industry at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Thursday, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick looks on. [UPI]
US President Donald Trump signs a proclamation on protecting the domestic polysilicon industry at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Thursday, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick looks on. [UPI]

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation aimed at expanding domestic production of polysilicon, a key raw material for the semiconductor and solar industries. The move targets the revival of US manufacturing and a reshaping of supply chains, and is widely read as the opening shot of import restrictions and tariffs the administration had previously signaled.

Trump signed the presidential proclamation at a White House ceremony on Thursday.

A White House official said the action was "part of a series of trade and tariff policies grounded in Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act," adding that it was intended "to adequately support domestic polysilicon manufacturing and protect American industry from foreign dumping and supply chain threats."

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said polysilicon is "a critical foundational raw material used to make silicon wafers that go into AI semiconductors, smartphones and more," and that the proclamation would expand polysilicon production within the United States.

Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act allows the president to impose tariffs or restrict imports of specific goods when their importation is deemed a threat to national security.

Reuters and Bloomberg had earlier reported that the Trump administration was considering imposing tariffs of at least 15 percent on imported polysilicon and related derivative products, as well as introducing a minimum import price system for wafers, solar cells and modules.

However, the proclamation announced Thursday did not include specifics such as whether tariffs would be imposed, the applicable rates or which products would be covered. Detailed implementation measures are expected to be released at a later date.

Markets view the move as reflecting the Trump administration's broader industrial policy of reducing US dependence on China-dominated global polysilicon supply chains and expanding domestic production of semiconductor and solar materials.


sjy@heraldcorp.com