Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

[MacRumors]

President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China.

"I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India."

"They [India] have offered us a deal where basically they have agreed to charge us literally no tariffs. I said 'Tim, we are treating you really good, we put up with all the plants you built in China for years. We are not interested in you building in India. India can take care of themselves'."

Trump claimed that following their discussion, Apple will be "upping their production in the United States."

In the fiscal year ending March, Apple's iPhone production in India reached $22 billion, a nearly 60% increase compared to the previous year. However, Trump's comments complicate Apple's strategy to import most US-bound iPhones from India by the end of next year.

Apple and its manufacturing partners have accelerated their movement away from China in recent months. The trend began after COVID restrictions disrupted operations, and has only accelerated amid ongoing US-China tensions, particularly in the wake of Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs.

Most India-manufactured iPhones are assembled at Foxconn's factory in the southern part of the country. Tata Group's electronics manufacturing arm, which acquired Wistron's local business and manages Pegatron's operations in India, is another major supplier.

When asked about the supply chain's future during the company's recent earnings call, Cook said: "What we learned some time ago, having everything in one location had too much risk with it. We have, over time, with certain parts of the supply chain, opened up new sources of supply. You could see that kind of thing continuing in the future."

During the same earnings call, Cook highlighted Apple's impact in the United States, including plans to spend $500 billion over the next four years and expanding facilities in several states. A new factory for advanced server manufacturing in Texas is scheduled to open later this year.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

 

[WilliApple]

Yeah good luck with that one trump… if you tariff India further, you’ll cause American companies to struggle because we don’t have the techniques that China and India have…

 

[arkitect]

Wow.

Again shows how tenuous Trump's grasp on reality is…

Apple Inc aren't "building" anything anywhere.

They use Foxconn and Tata Electronics in India to manufacture iPhones.

Foxconn and Tata Electronics are the ones doing the building.

SMFH.

Anyway, Tim Cook, better get your wallet out again.

 

[Warped9]

Trump the “King” has spoken. He thinks he can decree anyone to do whatever he wants on a whim.

 

[t0rqx]

Now they know how great China is...

 

[decafjava]

Trump the “King” has spoken. He thinks he can decree anyone to do whatever he wants on a whim.

At least Palpatine was a Sith with Darkside force powers and cool lightening attacks. /s

 

[GrumpyCoder]

Apple is already testing manufacturing in the US. Image from the secret factory:

 

[oldoneeye]

Gonna be expensive importing all those Tariff ridden Semiconductors into the USA

 

[DrRadon]

Well, if he actually manages to brute force production to America it at least should help the employe ethics a bit and less Foxconn like news popping up. Apple is having enough profits, I’ll not try to protect them by blaming trump. Consumers would have to pay extra I am certain, but I don’t think we are at the point yet where bulk numbers would ship at 3000$ for a pro so…?

 

[TechWhisperer]

iPhone 18 will be $5000. Make America go bankrupt again! 🤡

 

[L92]

Nothing says “business genius” like a guy with six bankruptcies under his belt giving advice to the man who 10x-ed Apple's value.

 

[Stormz]

Is this the part where we all shout 'nanny state'? Or is that just when the left does it?

(See also: snowflakery, virtue signalling, being cancelled, and all the other culture war clichés they like to trot out while harbouring a huge blind spot to their own vast catalogue of examples)

 

[ginkobiloba]

«

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India«​

Tim Cook should tell Trump to stop talking about things he doesn’t understand like manufacturing technology, building factories, and well … pretty much anything else than eating Big Macs.

 

[bsolar]

The good old American way where the government doesn't tell companies how to do business... wait a minute.

 

[Chazak]

Nothing says “business genius” like a guy with six bankruptcies under his belt giving advice to the man who 10x-ed Apple's value.

Don't forget multiple civil fraud convictions, 34 or is it 37 felony criminal tax fraud convictions. Then add two civil convictions for sexual assault and many millions of unpaid debt.

 

[senttoschool]

Nothing says “business genius” like a guy with six bankruptcies under his belt giving advice to the man who 10x-ed Apple's value.

I only read about dictators/fascism in textbooks. Never would I think I would experience one in realtime.

It's honestly a bit fascinating (but mostly sad) how a person can consolidate power like this. Lies, populism, purge enemies internally, threats, violence, ignore laws once power is consolidated, etc. I only read about this stuff in history books.

All the while Trump launched his own meme crypto currency, selling NFTs, accepting a personal $400m plane donation from a foreign country, helping his buddies manipulate the market. What do his voters think about him getting rich through scams, bribes, corruption?

 

[Wando64]

So, Trump is running Apple now?
What can go wrong?

 

[Chet-NYC]

What Apple needs to do is start "planning" an iPhone production facility in the United States. Finding a good location and design work will take about 18 months. Dealing with the inevitable lawsuits about its size and effect on the area its planned for another 18 months. Ground is finally broken around June 2028. Unforeseen issues at the site cause construction to deal with numerous pauses. January 20, 2029, Apple pulls the plug on the project.

Of course, if that one special Big Mac finally finds its way to that truly special aortic spot, this project might end a bit sooner.

 

[contacos]

Not even the Elite is save from Trump anymore. This should worry the average Joe just trying to come back from vacation abroad. Scary times.

 

[Warped9]

Trump will next decree Apple has to use Intel chips again and run Windows on iPhones. Genius.

He is big on resurrecting stupid things from the past. Vista—it’ll be the “greatest ever.”

 

[Dr McKay]

Well, if he actually manages to brute force production to America it at least should help the employe ethics a bit and less Foxconn like news popping up. Apple is having enough profits, I’ll not try to protect them by blaming trump. Consumers would have to pay extra I am certain, but I don’t think we are at the point yet where bulk numbers would ship at 3000$ for a pro so…?

American states seems to be overturning child labour laws in places. Perhaps Apple can rely on child labour to make American iPhones since you can pay children less.

Let freedom ring.

 

[senttoschool]

What Apple needs to do is start "planning" an iPhone production facility in the United States. Finding a good location and design work will take about 18 months. Dealing with the inevitable lawsuits about its size and effect on the area its planned for another 18 months. Ground is finally broken around June 2028. Unforeseen issues at the site cause construction to deal with numerous pauses. January 20, 2029, Apple pulls the plug on the project.

Of course, if that one special Big Mac finally finds its way to that truly special aortic spot, this project might end a bit sooner.

I can see Apple doing this strategically to appease Trump but secretly hoping for the next president to undo everything Trump is doing and magically say the factory is cancelled. IE. Invest $50 million pretending to build a factory. Spend 4 years building it. Hope the next president is more sane. Cancel the factory. $50 million is just money to appease Trump and put up a facade.

 

[H2SO4]

When are people going to realise that Trump is a lying imbecile and the Republicans haven't historically been fantastic for the economy, at least certainly as far as the rank and file are concerned?

 

[H2SO4]

«

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India«​

Tim Cook should tell Trump to stop talking about things he doesn’t understand like manufacturing technology, building factories, and well … pretty much anything else than eating Big Macs.

Cook doesn't ahve the back bone to do that.
He doesn't even have the back bone to imply it in a diplomatic fashion.

 

[slb]

Who is this guy to tell Apple how to run their business? I don't think there's really any such thing as a "small government conservative." They don't really believe in a free market, and they don't really believe in small government that stays out of the way either.