The Cupertino-based tech giant announced an investment of $500 billion in its home country over the next four years
. According to the company, the investment plan includes the establishment of a new advanced manufacturing facility in Houston to produce servers that support Apple Intelligence.
“I told Tim Cook we’re not interested in you building (Apple) in India, they can take care of themselves, you up your production here (US),” claimed Trump. He added that India was one of the highest tariff-imposing countries & has now made an offer to reduce tariffs significantly… pic.twitter.com/11p9okfjTg
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) May 15, 2025
Trump’s remarks reflect his longstanding position on bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States, a central theme during his presidency and a key issue as he eyes a return to the White House in 2024.
He acknowledged India’s offer to ease trade barriers, saying, “They [India] have offered us a deal where basically they have agreed to charge us literally no tariffs.”
But he remained firm in his demand that Apple prioritize American facilities. “I said, Tim, we are treating you really good, we put up with all the plants you built in China for years. We are not interested in you building in India.”
The president also added, “India can take care of themselves. They are doing very well. We want you to build here.”
Apple, which has been diversifying its supply chain to reduce dependence on China, has ramped up iPhone assembly in India in recent years, working with suppliers like Foxconn and Pegatron.
Cook had mentioned in the earnings call that majority of the iPhones sold in the US this quarter will be manufactured in India.
The move aligns with the Indian government’s push for local manufacturing and incentives under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.
(Edited by : Vivek Dubey)
First Published: May 15, 2025 1:22 PM IS
