Former President Donald Trump is probably pretty mad at Apple CEO Tim Cook right now. He is opposed to the company’s decision to start making iPhones in India. Unfortunately, on Trump’s last trip to the Middle East, there was a public disagreement. Supposedly, he then berated Cook for suggesting that this was what this plan would mean.
The problem came in when, as Trump pointed out, those iPhones made in India would make their way to the US market. At a recent roundtable in Qatar, Trump expressed his fears straight to Cook. He said, “I had a small beef with Tim Cook. He emphasized his expectations for Apple to produce its devices domestically, asserting, “I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhones that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else.”
The former president’s fears are based on a more general economic anxiety about the state of American manufacturing. In response, Trump announced that he would impose at least a 25% tariff on Apple products. To be clear, this action only goes into effect if the company continues with its plans to establish new facilities in India. This tariff would be paid to the U.S. government and could significantly affect Apple’s pricing strategy for its products sold domestically.
At the end of this wide-ranging, eye-popping interview, Trump hailed Cook as “my friend.” This curious phrase is loaded with meaning given the fraught relationship between the two leaders. He remarked, “Tim, you’re my friend. I treated you very good. You’re coming in with $500 billion. I don’t want you building in India.”
Tim Cook’s plan to invest $500 billion in manufacturing capabilities in India is part of Apple’s strategy to diversify its production footprint. This expansion has raised concerns among other U.S. officials. They are concerned it may cause them to offshore their manufacturing jobs.
In the wake of their memorable joint meeting at the White House on Tuesday, President Trump used social media—specifically Twitter—to provide a bit more definition to his intent. He posted on Truth Social on Friday morning, reiterating his expectations for Apple’s manufacturing decisions and emphasizing the need for American jobs.