DRAM crisis could go into overdrive with new US memory tariffs of 100% on SK hynix, Samsung

DRAM shortages are about to go from extremely bad, to another universe of issues with the US government considering new 100% tariffs on offshore DRAM production.

The Trump administration has been quite clear on its focus on American semiconductor manufacturing, with the "Made in the USA" push seeing multiple big tech giants investing trillions of dollars between them, including Apple, NVIDIA, Intel, and many others.

However, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was recently at Micron's New York semiconductor fab groundbreaking ceremony, where he said that memory manufacturers that aren't producing on American soil, will face a 100% tariff on their chips.

Lutnick said Friday in response to a reporter's question: "Everyone who wants to build memory has two choices: They can pay a 100% tariff, or they can build in America. That's industrial policy".

This was bound to happen, and it's the first time that the US has aimed for DRAM manufacturers specifically, and in a world now burned by AI demand... the US government is now looking to impose tariffs unless companies like SK hynix and Samsung start manufacturing DRAM on American soil. If they do, they will avoid the 100% tariffs completely.

SK hynix recently announced a new $4 billion commitment to West Lafayette, Indiana, but it will be using the new semiconductor plant for 2.5D advanced packaging and R&D work, not DRAM production lines being set up. Micron is US-based and has been working with the Trump administration on the memory industry, and Samsung has major US semiconductor fabs, but they're not producing DRAM on American soil.

It's not just the South Korean DRAM manufacturers, but also Taiwanese memory manufacturers like Nanya Technology and Winbond Electronics, who are major players in the DRAM supply chain, could experience the hefty new 100% tariffs, unless production is moved to the US.