Trump to Apple’s Cook: Make iPhones in America or pay 25% import tariff
US President Donald Trump has said Apple will face a 25 per cent tariff if it continues to sell iPhones in the United States that are not made within the country.
In a post on Truth Social on Friday (May 23), Trump said that he had previously informed Apple CEO Tim Cook that all iPhones sold in the US must be manufactured domestically.
“I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that 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 wrote.
“If that is not the case, a tariff of at least 25 per cent must be paid by Apple to the US,” he added.
India becomes key manufacturing hub for Apple
India has rapidly grown into a major centre for Apple’s iPhone production. In the last financial year, the company produced smartphones worth $22 billion in the country. This represents a 60 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
Apple began expanding its manufacturing footprint in India as a response to earlier tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese imports, which raised concerns over supply chains and pricing.
Apple is working to move a significant portion of its iPhone production out of China. The company aims to manufacture most iPhones for the US market in India by the end of next year.
This shift has drawn criticism from Trump, who has asked Apple to stop expanding its operations in India and focus on manufacturing in the US instead. His comments come amid ongoing global trade tensions and worries about overdependence on foreign supply chains.
Apple has historically relied on Chinese factories for iPhone production. While there is currently no iPhone manufacturing in the US, the company has committed to invest $500 billion in the country and increase domestic employment over the next four years.
Indian suppliers step up production
Apple’s manufacturing operations in India are centred around Foxconn’s facilities in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana. Other companies, including Tata Group, have increased their involvement. Tata recently acquired Wistron’s Indian division and now also manages Pegatron’s local operations.
According to India’s Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Apple exported iPhones worth over ₹1.5 trillion (\$17.4 billion) in the financial year ending March 2025. This marks a key development in Apple’s efforts to diversify production away from China. (BS)
