It's interesting that the guidance exempts machines used to create these electronics. I've been saying for a while that even the factories that make the machines we would need to in an iPhone factory come from China. Putting a tariff on that industrial equipment at the same time claiming we can make all these things domestically was never believable. Experts say a made in US iphone would cost 2x-3x what it does now. I can still see an argument for a small strategic iPhone factory in the US selling iPhones directly to the government that could also fill a technology gap should we ever go to war with China.

But I'm quite sure I would not call this a compromise, more than I'd take it as confirmation of what everyone has been saying all along. That China can stand way more tariff pain than the US is willing to inflict on its population.