Apple CEO Tim Cook Will Attend Trump Inauguration

[MacRumors]

Apple CEO Tim Cook will be one of several tech CEOs in attendance at the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, reports Bloomberg.

Earlier this month, Cook personally donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund, and when Trump won in November, Cook sent congratulations on social media site X. Cook also visited Mar-a-Lago in December, where he had dinner with Trump.

Tech CEOs and tech companies have been lavishing Trump with money and attention since November. Google, Amazon, Meta, Uber, OpenAI's Sam Altman, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Coinbase, Toyota, Ford, GM, AT&T, and more made donations to Trump's inauguration fund, and as a result, Trump has raised $200 million.

Trump has made it clear that he plans to put new tariffs in place, and Cook is likely aiming to avoid them with an exemption. During Trump's first term, Apple was able to skirt tariffs on its the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, though it had to pay some tariffs for the Apple Watch, AirPods, and HomePod. In 2019, Trump said Cook "made a good case" that tariffs would put Apple at a disadvantage.

Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, and Tesla's Elon Musk will also be at the inauguration.

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Article Link: Apple CEO Tim Cook Will Attend Trump Inauguration

 

[Ameer_1]

So?
As long as the iPhone stay the same price.

 

[delsoul]

All the tech crowd getting those lips ready for some rear end kissing! 😚

 

[Chuckeee]

For his $1,000,000, he should get a good seat

 

[DominikHoffmann]

I wish Trump had not accepted such donations. We don’t want the incoming administration to be encumbered by perceived obligations to such donors.

Maybe no one would consider $1M enough to be able to expect favors.

 

[DMG35]

The comments section here should be a real winner.

 

[DrJR]

Smart man.

 

[4k78]

The comments section here should be a real winner.

Exactly. Much whining coming up.

 

[phrehdd]

I gather this has a few layers of why this is of interest. Often Trump and followers are portrayed as anti LGBT... (whether they are or not is another topic) and Cook is in that community. Cook is considered a Liberal and Trump leads the Conservative party. Cook on the other hand has some very serious challenges when it comes to manufacturing being overseas in locations that Trump is likely to engage in new "fair and balance" strategies that could impact sales of Apple products such as the iPhone. Cook warming up to Trump or getting a good familiarity status could have political impact in hopes of favouring Apple.

FYI - I am an independent and just stating what anyone who observes would see.

 

[Chungry]

I guess my take on this is that it's very telling. Clearly Cook supports Trump when you take this and his donation into account. At least on some level he's signaling his approval.

I've said Apple's values were largely performative and largely pinned on whatever delivers shareholder value (despite some here arguing the contrary) and so this just goes to prove that out.

 

[Dwalls90]

When you look at the amount of donations to this inauguration (without considering all other donations and nominations) vs. prior inaugurations, it's very obvious what priorities of the incoming president are, and it's not the working class. Always follow the money.

 

[Chungry]

I wish Trump had not accepted such donations. We don’t want the incoming administration to be encumbered by perceived obligations to such donors.

Maybe no one would consider $1M enough to be able to expect favors.

Corruption is a core competency of American politics. The system is how it works, as the saying goes. I mean, we've got both houses packed with people that have dual citizenship so...

 

[hieranonymous]

I understand the necessary evil of this. The other tech bros are kissing the ring, and Cook needs to remain on the orange man’s good side for the sake of Apple’s corporate interests … but it’s still wild to behold. Nobody was sucking up to Biden like this. This is some third-world ish we’re looking at. Buckle up, I guess. It’s gonna be cringe 24/7 for the next four years (at a minimum).

 

[throAU]

newsflash: worlds largest company ceo attempts to not offend worlds most powerful country president for benefit of employees, shareholders and customers.

To do otherwise would be nuts

 

[JapanApple]

Is it uncommon for leaders of industry to attend? Common throughout American history.

 

[throAU]

I understand the necessary evil of this. The other tech bros are kissing the ring, and Cook needs to remain on the orange man’s good side for the sake of Apple’s corporate interests … but it’s still wild to behold. Nobody was sucking up to Biden like this. This is some third-world ish we’re looking at. Buckle up, I guess. It’s gonna be cringe 24/7 for the next four years (at a minimum).

There is sucking up and there is just doing what is expected in order to not antagonise or cause offense.

 

[Dwalls90]

I wish Trump had not accepted such donations. We don’t want the incoming administration to be encumbered by perceived obligations to such donors.

Maybe no one would consider $1M enough to be able to expect favors.

$1M to Trump is enough for him to consider a potential exception to Apple for the incoming tariffs from goods imported from China.

 

[Chungry]

I understand the necessary evil of this. The other tech bros are kissing the ring, and Cook needs to remain on the orange man’s good side for the sake of Apple’s corporate interests … but it’s still wild to behold. Nobody was sucking up to Biden like this. This is some third-world ish we’re looking at. Buckle up, I guess. It’s gonna be cringe 24/7 for the next four years (at a minimum).

The way things are going he could be in for 8 years from this point. Which is wild. And he could have served two terms and been out the door right now but with all the shady stuff that took place in the 2020 election and now this year that shortfall of tens of millions of voters... It's easy to draw conclusions. I think the system was thinking too short term and shot itself in the foot with the shenanigans in 2020. And here we are.

 

[DocMultimedia]

Goodbye American (Apple) Pie. This inauguration has truly become a joke with the money involved. I'm glad it will be miserable weather. Hopefully no one gets sick and pulls a Harrison. 🤣😉

 

[Dwalls90]

I understand the necessary evil of this. The other tech bros are kissing the ring, and Cook needs to remain on the orange man’s good side for the sake of Apple’s corporate interests … but it’s still wild to behold. Nobody was sucking up to Biden like this. This is some third-world ish we’re looking at. Buckle up, I guess. It’s gonna be cringe 24/7 for the next four years (at a minimum).

Correct, we no longer operate in a functioning democracy when private business must kiss the ring to the king.

 

[BenTrovato]

Correct, we no longer operate in a functioning democracy when private business must kiss the ring to the king.

Interesting moment to point out we no longer operate in functioning democracy. Should be a republic anyway but nevertheless, both have been gone for a long time.

 

[Chungry]

Correct, we no longer operate in a functioning democracy when private business must kiss the ring to the king.

A) this isn't a democracy, has never operated as one since probably before the civil war
B) big business has always operated like this
C) lobbying needs to be outlawed full stop

 

[awshucks]

Surprised Tim wasn’t in this

 

[daanodinot]

Lining up to kiss the ring!

 

[Dwalls90]

Interesting moment to point out we no longer operate in functioning democracy. Should be a republic anyway but nevertheless, both have been gone for a long time.

A) this isn't a democracy, has never operated as one since probably before the civil war
B) big business has always operated like this
C) lobbying needs to be outlawed full stop

Agreed lobbying is a huge problem. Citizens United, a conservative nonprofit, and the respective case that paved the way for lobbying is a cancer on this country.

There was an article that summarized inauguration contributions by the same big tech companies in 2017, 2021 and 2025 (sorry, can't find the link right now). 2025 blew both prior inaugurations out of the water. So while this is more of the same issue, it is also much worse in magnitude. Passing it off as "always operated like this" is factually incorrect.

Democracy does not die overnight, meaning we can probably all agree it wasn't fully present when Biden was president, but it's very obvious that Trump's presidency is not a step in the right direction.