U.S. President Donald Trump is turning up the pressure on Apple, insisting that the company relocate iPhone production back to the United States. During a public appearance in Qatar, Trump called out Apple CEO Tim Cook, saying he has “a little problem” with Cook’s plans to build factories in India.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
Trump, referencing Apple’s ongoing $500 billion U.S. expansion effort, expressed frustration that the company is prioritizing overseas growth. “I don’t want you building in India,” Trump told Cook, according to statements reported by Bloomberg. “We put up with all the plants in China for years. We’re not interested in you building in India.”
Apple has been steadily shifting some of its iPhone assembly for U.S. sales from China to India. The move is part of a broader strategy to diversify its global supply chain and avoid tariffs that the Trump administration introduced during his time in office. Goods produced in India currently face only a 10% import tax, compared to much higher rates for Chinese-made products.
The tariff strategy has had an impact. Apple is now sourcing more than half of the iPhones sold in the United States from India. Yet despite that shift, the company maintains production operations for the rest of the world in China. Other devices, such as iPads, MacBooks, and Apple Watches, are now being built in Vietnam.
Still, Trump wants Apple to go further and produce its most important product — the iPhone — on American soil. Analysts say that’s a stretch. Manufacturing an iPhone in the United States would require a massive overhaul of Apple’s production model and workforce. According to Dan Ives, tech analyst at Wedbush Securities, the price of an iPhone could rise to $3,500 if made entirely in the U.S.
Cook has acknowledged the issue. During a recent call with investors, he said he expects most iPhones sold in the U.S. will originate from India. Apple has also committed to expanding its U.S. operations, pledging to invest $500 billion over four years and add 20,000 jobs. That includes building Mac Pro computers in Texas, a project Apple has promoted in response to political and supply chain woes.
But building iPhones stateside still appears out of reach for now. The supply chain complexity, labor costs, and time required to set up suitable factories make it difficult to meet Trump’s expectations in the near term.
Meanwhile, internal reports suggest Apple is preparing to increase prices on upcoming iPhone models, including the iPhone 17 series. Company executives are reportedly concerned about the optics of linking the price hikes to tariffs and political pressure.
TF Summary: What’s Next
Trump’s renewed push for domestic iPhone production adds fresh tension to Apple’s global manufacturing strategy. Apple is expanding its operations in India and Vietnam while attempting to balance U.S. political interests. Whether Cook can balance cost efficiency and patriotic manufacturing remains uncertain. Any future price increase on iPhones will intensify the President’s arguments.
— Text-to-Speech (TTS) provided by gspeech