Friday, President Trump threat A 25% price on all iPhones not manufactured in the United States, catching both Apple and its own administration. NOW, The New York Times reports It seems that the move was probably the recovery for Tim Cook jumping the recent trip from the Middle East of Trump.
The president goes east
You’ve probably seen some photos of Trump’s CEO of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
From Jensen Huang de Nvidia to Sam Altman from Openai, the entourage of the president reads as a range of star from Silicon Valley. But a high -level leader was missing: Apple CEO Tim Cook, who had been invited but refused. And according to Times, this decision remained with Trump throughout the trip.
During a speech in Riyadh, for example, the president praised Huang to have appeared, then took a hit: “Tim Cook is not there, but you are.” Later, in Qatar, he told the participants that he had done it “A little problem with Tim Cook“, As he criticized the increasing manufacturing imprint of Apple in India. A few hours later, the price threat was put online:
“I have long informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhone who will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not in India, or anywhere else. If this is not the case, a price of at least 25% must be paid by Apple in the United States for your attention to this case! ”
Trump and his allies put pressure for Apple to lead the manufacture of iPhone in the United States, but the threat of Friday felt less as a strategic decision and more as a targeted punishment. Apple had just narrowly avoided a rate linked to 145% in China in April, and now it faces a new one.
As Tripp Mickle notes it in the report of the Times, the recent change of tone put Apple in an unprecedented position concerning his relationship with Trump. During his first mandate, Cook managed to keep Apple out of the White House’s reticle by playing the chief diplomat, presenting himself when he counted and making just enough concessions to maintain peace.
Now it seems that Trump demands that Cook, who personally given 1 million US dollars at its inauguration, to respect its whims further. And as Cook seems to trace the line, it seems frustrating Trump, who has always boasted of his close relationship with Apple CEO.
The question of whether the new price really arrives is always an open question. But the message has already landed: jump the photo sessions, and there is a price to pay.
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