President Trump issued a warning on Friday, stating that Apple could face 25% tariffs unless it relocates its manufacturing to the United States.
“I made it clear to Tim Cook a while back that I expect iPhones sold in the U.S. to be made here, not in India or anywhere else,” Trump posted on Truth Society.
“If that doesn’t happen, then Apple will have to pay at least 25% in tariffs to the U.S.,” he added. “Thanks for paying attention to this matter!”
For the past few weeks, Trump has been pressing Apple and its CEO, Tim Cook, to focus more on domestic production of iPhones.
Although Apple primarily manufactures its products in China, the company is actively trying to diversify its supply chains, with plans to move some operations to countries like India and Vietnam.
This shift away from China is part of an effort to mitigate the impact of Trump’s trade tensions with Beijing.
Earlier this month, Trump shared his concerns about Cook, expressing discontent after a deal was struck with China to reduce tariffs significantly over 90 days.
“I had some issues with Tim Cook yesterday. Tim is my friend; I’ve treated him well. You brought $500 billion here, and now you’re moving operations to India. I prefer you don’t build there,” Trump remarked.
“Tim, we’ve been very supportive. We’ve been holding off on all the plants you set up in China for years. Now it’s time to plant roots here. We don’t want production in India; they can manage on their own. They’re doing quite well,” he concluded, emphasizing a push for increased manufacturing in the U.S.
