The Trump administration's handling of tariffs continues to exhibit a lack of clear strategy, as President Trump recently vowed to 'set the tariff' on entities that fail to reach agreements in the 'next couple of weeks.' This statement comes amidst a backdrop of historic market fluctuations, which have seen the stock market oscillate between sharp rises and falls in response to tariff-related news.

On Liberation Day, President Trump opted to pause the extreme tariffs that were previously imposed, resulting in a temporary uptick in market performance. On Wednesday, the markets closed slightly higher, buoyed by indications that the United States might be easing pressure on China. However, this brief moment of relief was short-lived, as market sentiment quickly shifted once again.

According to a report from CNN, Trump made his remarks during an Oval Office address on Wednesday evening, highlighting that the current 90-day tariff pause would not apply uniformly across the board. Instead, he indicated that for certain countries or companies that are not actively negotiating or those that are unwilling to accept the terms proposed by his administration, tariffs would be reinstated sooner.

In Trump's own words, he stated, 'In the end, I think whats going to happen is were going to have great deals, and by the way, if we dont have a deal with a company or a country, were going to set the tariff.' He went on to indicate that this process would unfold over the next two to three weeks, during which tariffs could be determined.

The 90-day pause began on April 9, meaning that as of now, only 24 days have passed. With two to three weeks left, the timeline suggests that many tariffs could potentially escalate from a baseline rate of 10%, which is already considered historically high, possibly reaching as much as 50% for certain nations.

At this point, it remains uncertain which specific companies or countries Trump is referencing. Initially, his administration claimed that negotiations involved as many as 90 countries, but that number later dwindled to just 15, raising questions about the true scope of ongoing discussions.

Amid this uncertainty, tech giant Apple has found some temporary relief due to certain exemptions from the tariffs. However, the company still faces significant concerns. Many of its devices and accessories are manufactured globally, outside of China, meaning that any increases in tariffs could impact those products as well.

Furthermore, Apples exemptions are set to expire within a matter of weeks, raising the stakes for the company as it navigates these turbulent waters. In addition to the existing 125% tariffs on products imported from China and rising tariffs imposed on various countries, Apple is also facing a separate tariff specifically targeting semiconductors, which will affect its product lineup.

So far, Apple has managed to avoid raising prices on its products, thanks to strategic supply chain inventory management and careful planning. However, this situation could quickly change if more permanent relief from tariffs does not materialize soon. With the anticipated launch of the iPhone 17 lineup in the fall, potential price increases loom on the horizon, depending largely on how Apple chooses to absorb these additional costs.