Tim Cook dinner arriving on the White Home on November 20
Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner met with President Donald Trump on Thursday morning, prone to focus on the import tariff state of affairs and US manufacturing.
There’s little element concerning the go to, as first reported by Edward Lawrence at Fox Information. Nonetheless, there are apparent matters of debate between the 2 males, with billions of {dollars} on the road.
Cook dinner was noticed on his manner into the White Home at about 10:10 AM Japanese Time on Thursday. He departed about 45 minutes later, telling the gathered cameras nothing greater than he had a “nice assembly” with the President.
FOX Enterprise Cameras caught Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner on asking into the White Home about 10 minutes in the past. #Apple #WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/CONgQhI3bG
— Edward Lawrence (@EdwardLawrence) February 20, 2025
Cook dinner’s primary concern may be very doubtless the tariff state of affairs. Trump has promised to levy large import taxes on units manufactured in China — and the iPhone is a key product that can see tariffs.
A report on Thursday claimed that the iPhone must enhance in value by 9% to offset the import tariffs, that are paid by the importing firm, not the nation making the units. These prices are usually handed on to the shopper, as Acer is implementing now.
US manufacture can be a probable subject of debate. Notably, the Mac Professional remains to be assembled in Texas — however the tides could also be turning a minimum of partly.
Tim Cook dinner (left), Donald Trump (proper), in a earlier assembly on the White Home
In 2021, Apple famous that 48 of its 180 suppliers moved operations to the US. Given Apple’s California focus, over 30 of them had been in California, with 8 in 2020.
China stays the dominant nation for Apple’s provide chain, internet hosting roughly 150 out of its 180 suppliers. These suppliers are accountable for making chips, screens, digicam components, and motors.
And, majority of iPhone, Mac, and different units are manufactured abroad, notably in China. However in the course of the Biden Administration, the Chips Act noticed Apple processor provider TSMC getting huge subsidies to construct vegetation within the US.
Trump is not a fan of chip maker subsidies within the US. Which will even be a subject of dialog.
The go to is prone to be considered one of many over the following 4 years. Reportedly, Apple visited the White Home 87 instances throughout Biden’s time period, with 11 of them together with Cook dinner himself.