US President Donald Trump criticizes Apple

By Alimat Aliyeva

US President Donald Trump has argued that his tariff policy has pushed Apple to invest in manufacturing within the United States, claiming that without his actions, the tech giant would have continued to rely solely on China for production. His comments came amidst news of a temporary suspension of previously imposed tariffs, which had caused significant volatility in the stock market, particularly affecting Apple shares.

“Look at Apple — they’re going to spend $500 billion to build a factory in the United States. They wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for me. They would just keep building factories in China. And this is unacceptable,” Trump told reporters at the White House while discussing his tariff policies.

Trump emphasized that his ultimate goal is to bring electronics manufacturing back to the United States. He called Apple’s dependence on Chinese production “unsustainable” and argued that such reliance on foreign factories undermines American industry. Trump also indicated that he was open to showing “some flexibility” on tariffs for companies he believes have “suffered a little more,” suggesting the possibility of future exceptions for companies like Apple.

It’s worth noting that during Trump’s first term, Apple CEO Tim Cook successfully convinced the president to exempt the company’s products from some tariffs. However, it remains unclear whether the current administration will offer similar concessions.

Trump’s remarks came after the stock market experienced a significant downturn, with Apple shares falling nearly 20% due to the high tariffs he had previously imposed. The market began to stabilize only after Trump announced a 90-day suspension of new tariffs. However, this suspension does not apply to all Chinese goods, as many items are still subject to a base tariff of 10%, with some facing an even higher 125% tariff that went into effect on April 9. Trump attributed the suspension to "people's concern" over the rapid increase in tariffs.

While Apple has committed to investing in the U.S., including a new Apple Intelligence server facility in Houston, Texas, the majority of Apple’s device production still takes place overseas. Experts point out that relocating Apple’s complex global supply chain to the U.S. is a challenging and costly endeavor, with high production costs and a shortage of skilled workers in advanced manufacturing sectors posing major hurdles.