Bank of America: US-Made iPhones Would Face 90% Cost Surge

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Nope, too busy applauding China for having a spine and standing up to orange bully boy at the moment.
It‘s beautiful. Really beautiful. The most beautifullest trade war I‘ve ever seen.


Trade barriers? Lack of intellectual property rights? Totalitarian regime? All valid points regarding China. But you know what? I‘m way beyond the point where I care or consider the U.S. and its administration the good (better) guys anymore.

China may not play fair. But they don‘t nearly display the hostility, ignorance, deception, disregard for facts and truths as your administration. And neither the insanity nor brazen arrogance of their great leader. Fantasising about annexing tiny nations or lumping in a small and poor country like Lesotho with (or rather consider them worse offenders than) China on tariffs? China seem downright sane, reliable trading partners compared to the U.S.

Trump has more than enough broken trust, alienated „the western world“ and countries that formerly shared similar values to the U.S. It‘s about time someone, some country stand up to him that has the power to do so. And I‘m way beyond the point where I care which one it is.


PS: When China is „not playing fair“ on trade, they at least do it overtly but quietly. And not making a big fuss with bull**** allegations. Also, they‘re pouring a lot into infrastructure in Africa that - whereas the U.S. president has the nerve to slap the highest tariffs and the alleged „worst trade offenders“ in Lesotho of all places. Talk about creating goodwill towards a country vs. antipathy.

I get the frustration with Trump really, I do. The arrogance, erratic behavior, and lack of diplomacy have made it easy to criticize him, especially when it comes to foreign policy and trade. But I’m honestly struggling to understand how that frustration leads to applauding China, of all countries.

Yeah, they’re standing up to Trump in a trade war. But let’s not forget this is a government that’s openly authoritarian, silences dissent, controls its media, detains minorities in camps, and systematically steals intellectual property from foreign companies. Their track record on human rights, transparency, and fair play isn’t just bad it’s atrocious. And unlike Trump, that’s not a four-year experiment. It’s baked into the system.

Saying China seems like a “sane, reliable trading partner” compared to the U.S. is kind of wild when you consider how many countries have had to tiptoe around Beijing just to avoid retaliation. It’s not like they’re quietly breaking rules either they’re just better at controlling the narrative, and there’s no free press over there to call them out.

Criticizing the U.S. is fair especially when we screw things up. But equating that with cheerleading for China? That feels like replacing a flawed democracy with a regime that doesn’t even pretend to value freedom, truth, or fairness. Doesn’t that contradiction bother you at all?

 

[Velli]

I get the frustration with Trump really, I do. The arrogance, erratic behavior, and lack of diplomacy have made it easy to criticize him, especially when it comes to foreign policy and trade. But I’m honestly struggling to understand how that frustration leads to applauding China, of all countries.

Yeah, they’re standing up to Trump in a trade war. But let’s not forget this is a government that’s openly authoritarian, silences dissent, controls its media, detains minorities in camps, and systematically steals intellectual property from foreign companies. Their track record on human rights, transparency, and fair play isn’t just bad it’s atrocious. And unlike Trump, that’s not a four-year experiment. It’s baked into the system.

Saying China seems like a “sane, reliable trading partner” compared to the U.S. is kind of wild when you consider how many countries have had to tiptoe around Beijing just to avoid retaliation. It’s not like they’re quietly breaking rules either they’re just better at controlling the narrative, and there’s no free press over there to call them out.

Criticizing the U.S. is fair especially when we screw things up. But equating that with cheerleading for China? That feels like replacing a flawed democracy with a regime that doesn’t even pretend to value freedom, truth, or fairness. Doesn’t that contradiction bother you at all?

Yes, that is wild. That is how wild the result of voting Trump for a second term is. Blame the disease, not the symptom.

But an attempt at an explanation: China is an atrocious regime, yes. But, they are mostly atrocious towards their own population (with a few exceptions where they believe areas that are not their own population should be). China hasn’t done anything bad to me lately. On the contrary actually. Trump’s administration however, is hurting the world economy, calling our dead soldiers “bad partners”, threatening to take over part of our land, etc etc. I can’t save the rest of the world, and I’m not going to try. But Trump’s administration is negatively affecting ME, and in my opinion should be stopped. Since the EU doesn’t want to do it, I’m happy that China is willing to give it a shot.

 

[It’s always something]

So yes, the tariff foolishness will hit Apple hard, but Apple is poised to weather the hardware problem better than the competitors because Apple services revenue is quite large and that is not subject to tariff.

Services aren’t subject to tariffs yet. The EU is reportedly considering some sort of tax on services revenue. It might not technically be a tariff but it would still bite.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Yes, that is wild. That is how wild the result of voting Trump for a second term is. Blame the disease, not the symptom.

But an attempt at an explanation: China is an atrocious regime, yes. But, they are mostly atrocious towards their own population (with a few exceptions where they believe areas that are not their own population should be). China hasn’t done anything bad to me lately. On the contrary actually. Trump’s administration however, is hurting the world economy, calling our dead soldiers “bad partners”, threatening to take over part of our land, etc etc. I can’t save the rest of the world, and I’m not going to try. But Trump’s administration is negatively affecting ME, and in my opinion should be stopped. Since the EU doesn’t want to do it, I’m happy that China is willing to give it a shot.

I get it when a policy directly affects you, it’s easy to prioritize that over bigger picture concerns. But saying China “hasn’t done anything bad to me lately” is a shaky defense. Just because their abuses are mostly internal doesn’t make them any less real or dangerous. Cheering them on just because they’re opposing Trump isn’t some principled stance it’s enemy of my enemy logic. China isn’t standing up for fairness they’re pursuing their own interests and exploiting global divisions. You want Trump’s policies challenged? Fair enough. But handing that torch to an authoritarian regime with zero regard for freedom or truth? That’s not the win people think it is.

 

[It’s always something]

But handing that torch to an authoritarian regime with zero regard for freedom or truth? That’s not the win people think it is.

The problem is that for the rest of the world (and many Americans too) the USA is looking more and more like just another “authoritarian regime with zero regard for freedom or truth.” Trump lies constantly, and deportations without due process display a callous contempt for freedom and justice. So there is less and less obvious win at all.

 

[raylo32]

Mostly agree. But what would make the most sense is for NATO and the G whatever number we are up to now to unite on a strategy to rein in China's manufacturing hegemony and then implement it coherently and consistently. Trump making this a stupid us vs. them reality show and bashing our allies is a recipe for failure and untold economic damage.

I get it when a policy directly affects you, it’s easy to prioritize that over bigger picture concerns. But saying China “hasn’t done anything bad to me lately” is a shaky defense. Just because their abuses are mostly internal doesn’t make them any less real or dangerous. Cheering them on just because they’re opposing Trump isn’t some principled stance it’s enemy of my enemy logic. China isn’t standing up for fairness they’re pursuing their own interests and exploiting global divisions. You want Trump’s policies challenged? Fair enough. But handing that torch to an authoritarian regime with zero regard for freedom or truth? That’s not the win people think it is.

 

[Velli]

I get it when a policy directly affects you, it’s easy to prioritize that over bigger picture concerns. But saying China “hasn’t done anything bad to me lately” is a shaky defense. Just because their abuses are mostly internal doesn’t make them any less real or dangerous. Cheering them on just because they’re opposing Trump isn’t some principled stance it’s enemy of my enemy logic. China isn’t standing up for fairness they’re pursuing their own interests and exploiting global divisions. You want Trump’s policies challenged? Fair enough. But handing that torch to an authoritarian regime with zero regard for freedom or truth? That’s not the win people think it is.

I 100% agree with everything you say about China. But I disagree with you that handing the keys to the world to Trump is better. If that doesn’t make you understand how bad for the world economy I think Trump is, I don’t know what to tell you.

My preference is that my future is decided by EU, and not by USA, Russia or China. EU either can’t or won’t do it alone. Right now, a collaboration between EU and China looks more promising than a collaboration between EU and Trump seems plausible. That’s not on us, that’s on Trump. So if you don’t like that stance, remember that next time you vote.

 

[AppliedMicro]

let’s not forget this is a government that’s openly authoritarian, silences dissent, controls its media, detains minorities in camps,

…and the U.S. with their current administration look like they are on a slippery slope towards the same.

The difference:
China is and will remain what it is for the foreseeable future.
Whereas not all hope seems lost on the U.S.

 

[chmania]

But I’m honestly struggling to understand how that frustration leads to applauding China, of all countries.

That is entirely natural. When the class bully is challenged by a courageous individual, the entire class quietly applauds, and should he be struck, the rest of the class joins in. Numerous countries are observing the outcome of this situation, quietly hoping for China’s success, including the EU.

 

[turbineseaplane]

You are the richest country in the world with the highest earnings per person.

Your problem isn’t wealth, it’s wealth distribution.

It's shocking how many Americans don't understand this.

 

[raylo32]

A lot of people here do understand that. It's just that they misplace the blame on "the left" and "regulations", instead of the real culprits, the robber barons who have used the system to keep it from being effective in supporting citizens and deploy nonstop propaganda to plunder the masses via round after round of tax cuts for the already wealthy.

It's shocking how many Americans don't understand this.

 

[turbineseaplane]

A lot of people here do understand that. It's just that they misplace the blame on "the left" and "regulations", instead of the real culprits, the robber barons who have used the system to keep it from being effective in supporting citizens and deploy nonstop propaganda to plunder the masses via round after round of tax cuts for the already wealthy.

It’s sort of breathtaking that folks can go from complaining about the deficit to supporting the continuation of tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit super rich people and hammer the budget some more.

It’s like being worried about not having enough water and then in the next breath talking about giving away whatever water there is to people that already have way too much water.

The people that already have their own oceans don’t need even more water.

 

[raylo32]

The problem, simply, is the GOP. If you can remember back to George W. Bush before the housing bubble and subsequent economic collapse... that he helped create due to bank deregulation... he was a big champion of massive tax cuts for the wealthy. First he argued that we had a huge annual surplus and that there were surpluses coming as far as the eye could see. But instead of taking those surpluses to offset the long term deficit or to shore up Social Security and Medicare he wanted to give it away to his wealthy cronies. Then, when that "surplus" proved to be an illusion (big surprise, LOL) and turned into the exact opposite as the housing bubble burst, he then argued that tax cuts were needed to stimulate the economy. Basically, whatever the issue or problem the GOP will say that more tax cuts are the answer. Look at them now crafting a "budget" plan that enacts Trump's agenda, that of course includes huge tax cuts for the wealthy, even as regular folks face the highest inflation in decades largely as a result of his tariffs and economic mischief.

 

[AL2TEACH]

Thanks to bad trade agreements

Depends from what perspective it's being looked at employer or employee.

we make almost nothing in this country.

That might be due to the companies for various reasons and

those were good-paying jobs.

that was the problem from a company's perspective. Why pay more when the company can pay less?

The history of outsourcing is very interesting except for Forbes crying it's the unions fault lol.

As a species on this planet, the noble ideas of trade and unions are put in the trunk of the car when greed is the driver.
Maybe we can all agree that the "love of money is the root of all evil".

Heck, sorry for going over the top lol.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

That is entirely natural. When the class bully is challenged by a courageous individual, the entire class quietly applauds, and should he be struck, the rest of the class joins in. Numerous countries are observing the outcome of this situation, quietly hoping for China’s success, including the EU.

I’m genuinely confused why would you support China, knowing how brutally they treat their own people and how recklessly they undermine global norms? This is a regime that censors thought, jails dissenters, erases history, runs forced labor camps, and monitors every citizen with facial recognition and a social credit score. They’re not just authoritarian they’re dystopian. And globally? They don’t play fair. They steal IP, break trade agreements, prop up corrupt regimes, and then act like they’re the victim when anyone pushes back. So no, I don’t understand quietly hoping for China’s “success.” What kind of success are we talking about more surveillance? More suppression? More global leverage built on exploitation?

Supporting that isn’t courageous. It’s complicit.

 

[chmania]

I’m genuinely confused why would you support China,

That's understandable...

 

[aliasfox]

The difference is that China is more or less consistent. You work with them, you know what the downsides are today, tomorrow, and can have a reasonable guess as to what those downsides are the day after that. One can make plans and weigh the benefits. They’re far from perfect and transparent, but they’re far from capricious, as well. Who the heck knows what US trade policy is the day after tomorrow. Or even tomorrow. Or even 30 mins from now.

And don’t forget, there’s 1.3B ppl over there. It’s not just consumers in the US that companies want a slice of, it’s consumers over there, as well. And I’m pretty sure the 40M ppl who live in the vicinity of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen have (on average) pretty decent buying power. Maybe not as wealthy on the whole as NYC/LA/top 5 US metroplexes, but probably not too far off much of the rest of the US. That’s why companies are willing to try and work with China.

Lastly, I’ve heard the phrase “slave labor” bandied about. Their working conditions are rigid, and most line workers live on-site in dormitories. But guess what? Most factory work is pretty rigidly scheduled, and dormitory housing is much cheaper (or free? I forget) compared to market rate housing where these ppl are working. Can you imagine trying to find a market rate apartment along with the other 50k line workers that are starting at the same time as you?

I remember a story about a car factory that was set up in Mexico. The executive complained that on minor (let alone major) holidays, half the staff wouldn’t show up, simply assuming the factory was shut down. Those workers probably thought the US executive was a slave driver, too. But from an American perspective, giving notice when you can’t show up for work is usually a given. Different cultures have different expectations, but as long as ppl are transparent about what they are (and can adapt), then it’s not a big deal.

 

[DJTaurus]

Nvidia is back baby. Trump effect. Others will follow too. Make America GREATER AGAIN ❤️

https://twitter.com/x/status/1911767489027125650

 

[chmania]

Nvidia is back baby. Trump effect. Others will follow too. Make America GREATER AGAIN ❤️

https://twitter.com/x/status/1911767489027125650

Oh, Nvidia says...