Trump threatens bite of Apple, other manufactures with 25% tariffs if cellphones not built in US
Trump has repeatedly called on Apple to move production of its popular phones from China to the US, rather than India. He expanded the threat to include Samsung and other phonemakers.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs by the end of June on cellphones that Apple and other companies manufacture in other countries, a threat to boost the taxes on the tech giants that already is projected to cost Apple $900 million during April, May and June.
Trump blasted Apple in a social media post May 23 for producing more than half its phones in India, as Apple CEO Tim Cook said on a recent earnings call to avoid higher tariffs on products from China. Vietnam will be the “country of origin” of “almost all” iPads, Macs, Apple watches and AirPods, Cook said.
Trump expanded the threat later in the day at the White House while meeting with reporters to include Samsung and any other companies that make phones abroad.
“It would be more. It would also be Samsung and anybody that makes that product, otherwise it wouldn’t be fair," Trump said in the Oval Office. “I think we’ll have that appropriately done at the end of June."
Trump has made tariffs on imports a centerpiece of his economic agenda. His goal is to raise billions of dollars in tariffs on imports and to encourage manufacturers to make products in the U.S.
“When they build their plant here, there is no tariff, so they’re going to be building plants here,” said Trump, whose Apple cellphone rang twice on his desk while taking questions from reporters.
Earlier in the day, Trump had complained about Apple making phones in India.
“I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhone’s that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else,” Trump said on social media. “If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S.”
Apple didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.
Cook had said during that May 1 call that tariffs are projected to add $900 million to Apple’s costs during the current quarter. But Trump threatened to directly target the phones built in any country, as manufacturing shifted from China to India.
Cook announced plans in February for Apple to invest $500 billion in the U.S. and create 20,000 jobs during the next four years. The announcement was part of what Trump has boasted will be trillions of dollars in investment to avoid tariffs.
Trump’s repeated a common theme. He chided Cook on May 15 during a trip to the Middle East for moving iPhone production from China to India rather than the U.S.
(This story has been updated with more information and a new photo.)