US President Donald Trump has reportedly asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to stop expanding iPhone production in India and increase manufacturing in the United States instead. During a state visit to Qatar, Trump revealed he had "a little problem with Tim Cook" regarding Apple's growing manufacturing presence in India.
"I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said of his conversation with the Apple chief executive officer in Qatar. "He is building all over India. I don't want you building in India." The president added that as a result of their discussion, Apple will be "upping their production in the United States."
“I said I don’t want you building in India,” Trump said about a conversation he said he had with Cook. He added that he told Cook “India can take care of themselves, they are doing very well.”
As a result of their discussion, Trump said Apple will be “upping their production in the United States.”
The request comes as Apple has been rapidly shifting iPhone production to India, with the company manufacturing approximately $22 billion worth of iPhones there in the year ending March 2025, a 60% increase from the previous year. Currently, one in five iPhones worldwide are made in India.
Apple CEO Tim Cook doesn’t like to employ people in foreign, needs robots to make iPhones in the USCommerce Secretary Howard Lutnick previously indicated that advanced technology would be crucial for bringing iPhone manufacturing to American soil.
"I talked to Tim Cook the other day and said, 'When are you going to bring the iPhone manufacturing here?'" Lutnick revealed in a CNBC interview. "He said, 'I need to have the robotic arms to do it at a scale and precision that would allow me to bring it here.'"
Lutnick framed the potential return as part of what he calls the "AI industrial revolution," suggesting Americans would work in factories as highly-paid technicians rather than assembly line workers.
"They're not going to be the ones screwing components in," Lutnick emphasized. "He wants to build it here, he's going to build it here, and Americans are going to be the technicians who drive those factories."
India offers zero-tariff deal to the United States
Trump also claimed that India has proposed eliminating tariffs on US goods as part of ongoing trade negotiations.
"India has offered us a deal where basically they are willing to literally charge us no tariff," Trump stated during a meeting with business leaders in Doha. The Indian government has not yet commented on these remarks.
Trump cited India's high tariff barriers as a reason for his opposition to Apple's manufacturing shift, noting it's "very hard to sell American products" in the world's most populous country.
Apple's manufacturing pivot away from China accelerated after COVID-19 disruptions and amid growing US-China tensions . The company now produces its entire iPhone lineup in India, including premium titanium Pro models.
"I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said of his conversation with the Apple chief executive officer in Qatar. "He is building all over India. I don't want you building in India." The president added that as a result of their discussion, Apple will be "upping their production in the United States."
“I said I don’t want you building in India,” Trump said about a conversation he said he had with Cook. He added that he told Cook “India can take care of themselves, they are doing very well.”
As a result of their discussion, Trump said Apple will be “upping their production in the United States.”
The request comes as Apple has been rapidly shifting iPhone production to India, with the company manufacturing approximately $22 billion worth of iPhones there in the year ending March 2025, a 60% increase from the previous year. Currently, one in five iPhones worldwide are made in India.
Apple CEO Tim Cook doesn’t like to employ people in foreign, needs robots to make iPhones in the USCommerce Secretary Howard Lutnick previously indicated that advanced technology would be crucial for bringing iPhone manufacturing to American soil.
"I talked to Tim Cook the other day and said, 'When are you going to bring the iPhone manufacturing here?'" Lutnick revealed in a CNBC interview. "He said, 'I need to have the robotic arms to do it at a scale and precision that would allow me to bring it here.'"
Lutnick framed the potential return as part of what he calls the "AI industrial revolution," suggesting Americans would work in factories as highly-paid technicians rather than assembly line workers.
"They're not going to be the ones screwing components in," Lutnick emphasized. "He wants to build it here, he's going to build it here, and Americans are going to be the technicians who drive those factories."
India offers zero-tariff deal to the United States
Trump also claimed that India has proposed eliminating tariffs on US goods as part of ongoing trade negotiations.
"India has offered us a deal where basically they are willing to literally charge us no tariff," Trump stated during a meeting with business leaders in Doha. The Indian government has not yet commented on these remarks.
Trump cited India's high tariff barriers as a reason for his opposition to Apple's manufacturing shift, noting it's "very hard to sell American products" in the world's most populous country.
Apple's manufacturing pivot away from China accelerated after COVID-19 disruptions and amid growing US-China tensions . The company now produces its entire iPhone lineup in India, including premium titanium Pro models.
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