Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has reportedly agreed to increase the amount of iPhone production that takes place in the US, according to President Donald Trump.
Speaking to press in Qatar, Trump said he had «a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday,» regarding Apple’s plans to shift production away from China to India in a bid to avoid tariffs. But the president has asked Cook not to build out its Indian manufacturing base.
Apple didn’t respond to a request for comment on the matter.
Back in February, Apple announced plans to boost US-based production with a $500 billion investment that will see it build new manufacturing facilities and a manufacturing academy across multiple states. But earlier this month, Cook also said the majority of Apple’s iPhone production would shift to India.
The reason tech companies including Apple don’t already manufacture devices in the US is that the cost of domestic manufacturing and labor in the US is currently still too high for them to consider abandoning their international supply chains. Tariffs might be pushing the price of goods up, but shifting production to the US is only likely to exacerbate the rising cost of almost everything we buy.
But for Trump, making iPhones in the US should be the priority. «I said to him, Tim, you my friend, I treated you very good,» the president said, recounting his conversation with Cook. «You’re coming here with $500 billion but now I hear you building all over India. I don’t want you building in India.»
According to Trump, Cook agreed to Apple «upping their production in the United States.» Even if that is the case, the reality is that it could be a long time before your next iPhone is made in the US.
