US President Donald Trump said he told Apple CEO Tim Cook not to shift more production to India, voicing frustration with the tech giantâs growing manufacturing footprint outside the United States.
Speaking on Thursday, Trump criticised Appleâs move to expand production in India, where the company plans to make around 25% of global iPhones in the coming years.
Trump cited Appleâs prior reliance on China and argued the company now owes investment to the United States.
âI had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday,â Trump said. âI said, âmy friend, I treated you very good ⊠but now I hear youâre building all over India. I donât want you building in India.ââ
Trump referenced Appleâs earlier commitment to invest $500 billion in the US, announced in February. He added that Apple would be âuppingâ production in the US, though he provided no specifics.
Appleâs expansion in India comes as part of a strategy to diversify away from China, where the majority of its flagship iPhones are currently assembled. Its main partner, Foxconn, recently received Indian government approval to build a semiconductor plant with HCL Group.
Trump made the remarks while discussing broader US-India trade issues. He described India as âone of the highest tariff nations in the worldâ but said the country has offered to waive some tariffs under a proposed deal.
As part of a new trade strategy unveiled in April, the US imposed a 26% âreciprocal tariffâ on Indian goods, currently in effect on a temporary basis.
While Apple manufactures the Mac Pro in the US and recently announced plans to build servers for its AI system in Texas, analysts say large-scale iPhone production in the US remains unlikely due to higher costsâestimated between $1,500 and $3,500 per device.
Apple has not yet commented on Trumpâs remarks.
