US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Apple, threatening a 25% tariff on products sold in the United States if the company proceeds with its plans to expand manufacturing operations in India.
Speaking from the Oval Office after signing executive orders related to nuclear energy, Trump said he had an understanding with Apple CEO Tim Cook that iPhones for the U.S. market would be produced domestically. “He said he’s going to India to build plants. I said, ‘That’s okay, but you’re not going to sell into here without tariffs,’” Trump stated.
Reinforcing his stance on social media, Trump posted, “I expect their iPhones that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else.” He added that failure to comply would trigger a minimum 25% tariff.
Trump also referred to a previous conversation with Cook during a trip to the Middle East, where he expressed displeasure about Apple’s growing investments in India. Additionally, he criticized India’s traditionally high import tariffs, though acknowledged the country had recently offered tariff concessions in negotiations. “India is one of the highest tariff nations in the world… they’ve offered us a deal with virtually no tariffs,” he said.
The remarks underscore Trump’s continued push for reshoring American manufacturing and reducing reliance on foreign production, particularly in key sectors like electronics
