Trump Sees Tim Cook as a ‘Friend’ but Raises Concerns Over Apple’s Expansion Plans in India, Urges Focus on Local Production

President Donald Trump has reiterated his firm stance against Apple’s expansion initiatives in India. During a recent press conference, he acknowledged his friendship with Apple CEO Tim Cook but expressed dissatisfaction with the tech giant’s investment priorities, urging Cook to redirect Apple’s focus back to the United States.

Concerns Over Apple’s Global Manufacturing Strategy

In a statement at the conference, Trump highlighted that he had tolerated Cook’s decisions to establish manufacturing plants in China during previous expansions, noting that Apple must now prioritize local production in the U. S.He emphasized that “we’ve put up with Tim Cook a lot, ” referring to the extensive factories being set up in China for various products.

The conference also touched upon Apple’s significant $500 billion investment plan over the next four years, which aims to enhance production capabilities and boost American employment. This ambitious strategy could be a contributing factor to Trump’s willingness to negotiate more favorable tariff conditions for Apple. Despite this, concerns linger about potential risks to such partnerships, which is why Tim Cook has chosen to focus more on expanding operations in India.

Trump’s remarks indicate a strong aversion to any expansion efforts in India, asserting that “they can take care of themselves.” He has made it clear that he expects Apple to increase its manufacturing footprint in the U. S.A previous statement from Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested that Trump believes it is entirely feasible to repatriate iPhone manufacturing back to American soil.

“I told Tim Cook we’re not interested in you building (Apple) in India, they can take care of themselves, you up your production here (US), ”claimed Trump. He added that India was one of the highest tariff-imposing countries & has now made an offer to reduce tariffs significantly… pic.twitter.com/11p9okfjTg

— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) May 15, 2025

The Challenges of Localized Manufacturing for Apple

While Apple may have limited options to increase production of other product lines in the U. S.– as these items are generally produced in lower volumes – the call to focus on iPhone manufacturing presents a unique challenge. According to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, the prospect of relocating iPhone production to the U. S.remains unlikely.

Nevertheless, it is conceivable that Apple might consider adapting its production strategy to accommodate local manufacturing of lower-cost models, such as the anticipated iPhone 17e. However, transitioning the entirety of their iPhone lineup to American factories seems improbable at this stage.

For further details, you can refer to the original news source: CNBC.

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