During a recent meeting in the State Dining Room of the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump addressed concerns regarding Apple’s production strategy. Speaking alongside Apple CEO Tim Cook, Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with the tech giant’s decision to expand its manufacturing operations into India. He emphasized his preference for Apple to increase its production within the United States instead. This discussion arose amidst Apple’s ongoing efforts to diversify its production footprint beyond China, where the majority of its iPhones are currently assembled.
Trump highlighted Apple’s previous commitment to invest $500 billion in the U.S., citing this as a reason for the company to concentrate its manufacturing efforts domestically rather than abroad. He conveyed that Apple’s increased activity in India was not in alignment with his administration’s focus on boosting American manufacturing jobs.
The president’s comments were made in the broader context of U.S.-India trade relations, where he pointed out India’s status as a high-tariff nation. Trump mentioned recent trade negotiations where India proposed a reduction in tariffs on U.S. goods.
While Apple has been expanding its production capabilities in India, largely facilitated by its main assembly partner Foxconn, the feasibility of relocating iPhone manufacturing to the U.S. remains in question due to potential increases in product costs. Experts estimate that producing iPhones domestically could significantly raise prices, making such a shift economically challenging.
Currently, Apple’s U.S. manufacturing is limited, with the Mac Pro being one of the few products assembled domestically. However, plans have been announced for a new facility in Texas to produce servers for Apple’s AI systems. This development is part of Apple’s broader strategy to maintain a balanced production network across various regions.
