Trump Administration Member Criticized Apple CEO

Trade advisor in Donald Trump's administration, Peter Navarro, lashed out at Apple CEO Tim Cook for not moving more of the company’s iPhone production outside of China. His comments, made to CNBC, come two months after Trump posted on his Truth Social media platform that he expects iPhones sold in the US to be made in the country.

In April, Cook met with officials of President Trump’s administration to discuss the possible impact of tariffs. Apple made a concerted effort to move more of the production of its devices out of China to countries such as India to avoid the tariffs. “Going back to the first Trump term, Tim Cook has continually asked for more time to move his factories out of China,” Navarro stated in a video interview. “I mean, it’s the longest-running soap opera in Silicon Valley. And my problem with Tim Cook is he never takes the steps to actually do that.”

The estimated cost of a US-made iPhone could reach $3,500 compared to $1,000 for an iPhone 16 Pro currently. Despite the increased cost and complex supply chain logistics related to US production, Navarro stated Apple is not moving fast enough. “With all these new advanced manufacturing techniques and the way things are moving with AI and things like that, it’s inconceivable to me that Tim Cook could not produce his iPhones elsewhere around the world and in this country,” Navarro stated. Apple did state in February that it plans to spend $500 billion in the US over President Trump’s four-year term to manufacture chips and AI servers.