Trump Says TSMC’s Management Are “Trustworthy People” and “Have No Choice” But to Invest $100 Billion in U.S.
President Donald Trump has once again expressed strong confidence in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and its executives, calling them "trustworthy people" while emphasizing that they have "no choice" but to fulfill their $100 billion investment commitment in the United States. This comes after Trump and TSMC CEO Dr. C.C. Wei jointly announced the massive investment plan last month, positioning it as the largest foreign investment package in U.S. history.
Trump’s broader strategy aims to reestablish America’s dominance in manufacturing, particularly in the critical semiconductor sector. TSMC’s state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities and its reputation as the leading foundry for global tech giants have made it a centerpiece in this vision. However, despite the fanfare surrounding the announcement, multiple Taiwanese officials have noted that TSMC has yet to formally submit the necessary investment approval documents to Taiwan’s government, a required step due to national security and foreign policy considerations.
Nevertheless, Trump remains confident that the Taiwanese semiconductor giant will honor its commitment. In a recent interview with Time Magazine, he underscored the impact of his tariff policy, stating that firms like TSMC have no viable alternative but to invest in the U.S., given the looming threat of hefty tariffs. "First of all, I think they're trustworthy people. But more importantly, they have no choice, because they won't be able to pay the tariffs if they don't do it," Trump declared.
During the interview, Trump also pointed to other major investments as validation of his policies, citing NVIDIA’s recent announcement to invest $500 billion over the next four years to expand AI data center infrastructure in the United States. He referenced both NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and "Mr. Wei from Taiwan" as examples of business leaders adapting to his administration’s economic strategy.
The $100 billion expansion announced by TSMC builds upon the company's ongoing $65 billion project to establish a chip manufacturing complex in Arizona. That facility is already under construction and is set to include additional manufacturing lines in the coming years. Although delays in paperwork submission have caused some political friction in Taiwan, TSMC appears to have ample time to align its bureaucratic processes with its strategic expansion timeline.
Further reinforcing his approach, Trump previously disclosed that he had threatened TSMC with a 100% tax if it failed to expand its U.S. operations. "All I did is say, 'If you don't build your plant here, you are going to pay a big tax. Twenty-five, maybe 50, maybe 75, maybe 100%,'" Trump said at a political event earlier this month.
As global competition for semiconductor manufacturing supremacy intensifies, Trump’s aggressive policies aim to position the United States as a self-sufficient powerhouse in chip production — and TSMC’s expanded presence on American soil is a critical component of that goal.
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