Trump reminded Cook of Apple’s previously announced $500 billion investment in the United States and questioned the company’s decision to expand its assembly operations in India. “Tim, you’re my friend. You’re bringing 500 billion here, but now you’re building in India. I don’t want you building in India,” Trump said, adding that the U.S. expects companies like Apple to prioritize domestic production.
Currently, Apple assembles the vast majority of its iPhones in China, with estimates suggesting around 90 percent of global iPhone assembly happens there. However, Apple has reportedly increased its production capacity in India in response to the ongoing trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Trump argued that after years of tolerating Apple’s China-centric production model, it was now time for the company to relocate manufacturing back to American soil. “We’ve treated you really good… now you’ve got to build for us,” Trump said, dismissing India’s capabilities by saying, “India can take care of themselves.”
Although Trump claimed Apple would be expanding its U.S. production footprint, he did not provide concrete details. Industry experts remain skeptical, noting that the complex and globally distributed iPhone supply chain would make such a move costly and logistically challenging. Analysts at Wedbush Securities estimate that assembling iPhones in the U.S. could triple the retail price of the devices.
In addition to criticizing Apple, Trump also revealed that India had proposed a trade deal offering “no tariffs” on American goods. He acknowledged that India is seeking to finalize an agreement within the 90-day tariff pause his administration announced in April.
India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has aggressively promoted itself as a global manufacturing hub, particularly for smartphones. In March, Apple’s Indian suppliers, including Foxconn and Tata, shipped a record-breaking $2 billion worth of iPhones to the U.S. in a bid to bypass impending tariffs.