Trump Demands US iPhone Production, Threatens 25% Tariff

[Jashar7]

President Donald Trump escalated his trade rhetoric Friday, targeting Apple with a potential 25% tariff unless the company manufactures iPhones domestically rather than anywhere else.

The warning came via Truth Social after CEO Tim Cook announced earlier this month that Indian facilities would handle the majority of U.S. iPhone sales. Apple's pivot to India was widely seen as a strategy to sidestep Chinese manufacturing amid ongoing trade tensions.
The U.S. president brought up the issue just last week during his Middle East trip. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar. "He is building all over India."

Apple had reportedly planned to source all 60+ million annual US iPhone sales from India by late 2026. Meanwhile, key supplier Foxconn is investing $1.5 billion to expand Indian production, including a display module facility near Chennai.

The threat sent Apple shares tumbling 3% in pre-market trading Friday.

Trump's demand would force a major shift from Apple's current manufacturing strategy, which relies heavily on Asian suppliers for cost efficiency and established supply chains. Moving iPhone production to the U.S. would likely require massive infrastructure investments and could substantially increase device costs, but there's simply no way Apple could pull off the transition. According to Wedbush, producing iPhones in the U.S. could push prices to ~$3,500 and take 5–10 years to implement, making it unfeasible.

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Article Link: Trump Demands US iPhone Production, Threatens 25% Tariff

Ain’t no way iPhone is about to become something that you need to “work hard” in order to be able to afford it…

 

[MRMSFC]

I mean, he literally committed crimes in the open and promised to do a lot of really stupid and damaging sh!+ during his campaign, managed to build a huge army of high-level sycophants to do his bidding, and still managed to win the election. I'd say he can't be that much of an idiot.

Look behind the curtain and you'll see figures like Steven Miller, Peter Thiel, Curtis Yarvin, the list goes on.

Trump is an egotistical moron who failed his way to the top, enabled by an organized multi-media force backed by powerful interests.

He's a moron, but he's very useful to those powers.

 

[goodcow]

My vote for Trump was more a defiant move against the sheer stupidity of the Democratic Party right now. They are so hell bent on issues that the vast majority of people don't care about.

Project 2025 was there for anyone to read, and Trump outlined all the illegal actions he was going to take, but you voted for him anyway?

 

[DotCom2]

I'm sure the shareholders will love that idea.

If it saves a ton of money of course they would.

 

[JohnC1959]

Trump is acting anti-American under the guise of being pro-American.

 

[MagicBoy]

Project 2025 was there for anyone to read, and Trump outlined all the illegal actions he was going to take, but you voted for him anyway?

I expect the response will be : "I didn't actually expect him to do those things."

 

[Macalway]

Yup, and where would you look for dissenting views after that?

 

[MRMSFC]

This is the key. I will come clean and say I did vote for Trump; but I sure as hell didn't vote for all this Tariff nonsense or the complete lack of laws being followed when it comes to immigration. I do feel that immigration is out of control and people being here illegally do need to be removed; but they deserve their time in court before doing so; and deporting them to a foreign prison system is so massively ****ed up.

My vote for Trump was more a defiant move against the sheer stupidity of the Democratic Party right now. They are so hell bent on issues that the vast majority of people don't care about.

Moderates need to find a way to take back both parties or form a third one. Both parties are so extreme right now they both suck.

At least you cop to it, props for admitting that.

I do think you were/are mistaken about the priorities of the Democratic party though. It's going to take a lot of work to mend these rifts.

 

[MNJohn]

If you believe there is no production line work in the us I can’t help you. It’s like saying you have to order at Ali express because nobody wants to be in a local Amazon warehouse.

I had my experience building Mercedes Benz here in Germany, shipping out to all over the world. The work was mundane, but based on the price of the product and unions being strong even as a student job it got payed well above average.

And that’s why Mercedes Benz is now outsourcing increasing amounts of it’s production outside of Germany.

 

[leonremi]

I respect the confidence, but where do you get your info? The PM of most iPhones is > 40%. Components are made in different countries by different suppliers, including the USA. Assembly is done by FOXCONN. Investment would be mostly required by Apple's suppliers, not Apple itself.

The tariff threat is not to expect full production is a matter of months. The ask to have a commitment of production/assembly in the USA - likely to a certain threshold. Indonesia went through this same process with Apple, but their thresholds were likely lower.

Apple is sitting on somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 trillion. Even if they need to pick up the tab a little bit, they can afford it.

Maybe a better strategy is to come up with the next 'big thing' and start fresh with that product here in the USA. Mobile phones will hopefully be on their way out soon!

so as you say it yourself, this would just be assembly work....******, barely paid jobs with little added value.

As for phones being on the way out....not happening any time soon. Unlike the AI bubble bursting.

 

[turbineseaplane]

My vote for Trump was more a defiant move against the sheer stupidity of the Democratic Party right now. They are so hell bent on issues that the vast majority of people don't care about.

Was destroy the country completely your preference?

That's like burning your house down because you don't like the food currently being made in the kitchen.

 

[RemedyRabbit]

This is the key. I will come clean and say I did vote for Trump; but I sure as hell didn't vote for all this Tariff nonsense or the complete lack of laws being followed when it comes to immigration. I do feel that immigration is out of control and people being here illegally do need to be removed; but they deserve their time in court before doing so; and deporting them to a foreign prison system is so massively ****ed up.

My vote for Trump was more a defiant move against the sheer stupidity of the Democratic Party right now. They are so hell bent on issues that the vast majority of people don't care about.

Moderates need to find a way to take back both parties or form a third one. Both parties are so extreme right now they both suck.

You were so concerned about the dems ruining the country that you voted for… Donald Trump?

Bro.

 

[avkills]

I expect the response will be : "I didn't actually expect him to do those things."

No I will not deny that he is going to try and is doing them; even though he said he didn't know anything about it.

 

[MRMSFC]

I expect the response will be : "I didn't actually expect him to do those things."

Well yeah, Trump said he didn't know anything about it.

A lot of people (very unwisely) took him at face value, and the right-wing propaganda machine amplified that.

Maybe I'm being too generous, but I don't blame people for being in a propaganda bubble when there's been a decades-long effort to build that bubble and trap people in.

 

[avkills]

Was destroy the country completely your preference?

That's like burning your house down because you don't like the food currently being made in the kitchen.

That is bit of an over simplification; what I did not expect was the Judicial department basically being pushed around.

 

[turbineseaplane]

This encapsulates something I really don't get about MAGA
(and it confirms how much of a cult it actually is)

 

[turbineseaplane]

That is bit of an over simplification; what I did not expect was the Judicial department basically being pushed around.

Here's the real question..
Would you have voted differently knowing what you know now?

(even if that means "not voting" -- just any change at all)

 

[jakey rolling]

but I sure as hell didn't vote for all this Tariff nonsense or the complete lack of laws being followed when it comes to immigration.

Yes you did. Trump was very clear that mass "expidited" deportations were going to be top of his agenda. Anyone who has any clue what the term "due process" means knew full well that due process would be the first thing cut from the program.

My vote for Trump was more a defiant move against the sheer stupidity of the Democratic Party right now. They are so hell bent on issues that the vast majority of people don't care about.

Which issues specifically? The ones about trying to make sure every American citizen gets to vote? Or the ones where women can be guaranteed reproductive healthcare? Or was it the ones trying to ensure Florida and California don't wind up underwater Texas and Alaska don't wind up with oil-covered shores (again)? Or is it just the ones that make sure the trannies and gays and minorities have the right to feel safe?

Please, tell me which issues Americans don't care about that you voted against. I've got my popcorn ready.

Moderates need to find a way to take back both parties or form a third one. Both parties are so extreme right now they both suck.

You continue to fall for the "both sidez" line even after it is clear you understand what your vote has contributed to. SMH.

 

[mannyvel]

Apple assembles iPhones in India and Brazil due to tariff pressure in those respective countries.

 

[0049190]

Apple and Trump will eventually cut a deal whereby Apple pays a 10% tariff on all iPhones imported into the US regardless of where they are made.

 

[User 6502]

Should have already been transitioning production to the US. Nobody made them do it. Now's the time. Twenty years is long enough.

Why? Who cares where is it made?

 

[supergt]

It's a distraction from his cryptocurrency corruption.

Everything is a distraction.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Apple and Trump will eventually cut a deal whereby Apple pays a 10% tariff on all iPhones imported into the US regardless of where they are made.

There is no cutting deals with him -- He tears up his own deals routinely.

He's demented and has become a threat to the entire world.

He needs to be removed from office.

 

[User 6502]

Then he'll just keep changing the goal posts making it higher and higher like he has other tarrifs.

And then nobody will buy iPhones. Not that they’re selling as they used to anyway…

 

[mrkkbb]

Samsung/Google/LG would have the tariffs if they did not shift to the US. Apple would have to eat at least some of the expense either way. Why are we employing overseas slave labor?

Doesn't take much to google where Samsung phones are made. Give it a rest MAGA raybo