Former President Donald Trump issued a bold demand on Friday, stating that Apple and other smartphone manufacturers must produce their devices within the United States—or face a steep 25% tariff. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had previously warned Apple CEO Tim Cook that iPhones sold in the U.S. should not be manufactured in India or other countries.
“I told Tim Cook a long time ago that iPhones sold in the U.S. should be built here, not in India or anywhere else,” Trump stated. “If that doesn’t happen, Apple will be required to pay a tariff of no less than 25%.”
Tech Giants Like Samsung Could Also Be Targeted
While Apple was at the center of the discussion, Trump made it clear that the policy would apply broadly. “It’s not just Apple,” he told reporters at the White House. “This includes Samsung and every other company that makes and sells phones in the United States. Otherwise, it just wouldn’t be fair.”
Samsung, unlike Apple, shifted away from Chinese manufacturing years ago. The company closed its last phone plant in China in 2019 and now builds devices in Vietnam, India, South Korea, and Brazil.
Apple’s Shift to India Sparks Political Tension
Apple has spent years diversifying its supply chain. With increasing labor costs and political tensions in China, the company has moved some of its iPhone production to India. In a recent earnings call, CEO Tim Cook mentioned that the majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. would soon be produced in India.
Trump criticized this move during his Middle East trip, telling an audience he had a “problem” with Cook over the India production plans. “Tim, you’re my friend, but I don’t want iPhones being made all over India. I want them built here,” Trump reportedly said.
Experts Question the Feasibility of U.S. iPhone Production
Tech analysts argue that bringing full-scale iPhone production to the United States is unrealistic in the near future. Apple has long maintained that the U.S. lacks the volume of industrial engineers required for such advanced manufacturing. Former CEO Steve Jobs once told President Obama that Apple needed 30,000 industrial engineers to support factory workers—numbers hard to find domestically.
Tim Cook echoed this sentiment in interviews, saying that while Apple wants to bring jobs back to America, the complexity and cost of moving production stateside are immense.
Dan Ives, a tech analyst, estimates it would take Apple three years and $30 billion just to shift 10% of its supply chain to the U.S. Fully transitioning could take a decade, and the result could be iPhones priced at $3,500 or more.
Apple Increases U.S. Investment Amid Tariff Pressure
To address political pressure, Apple recently announced a $500 billion investment to expand its U.S. operations. This includes producing servers in Texas for its new AI products, expanding data centers, and increasing production of Apple TV+ content in over 20 states. Though the move won’t bring iPhone manufacturing to the U.S. immediately, it may ease concerns about the company’s global footprint.
Despite these efforts, if a 25% tariff is enforced, Apple may have no choice but to raise iPhone prices. Some analysts believe Apple can absorb tariff costs up to a point, but anything above 30% could force the company to pass those costs onto consumers.
