Trump Pressuring Apple to Move Production to US or Face Tariffs Infuriates Users: 'This Just Makes iPhones More Expensive'
Apple is the latest company threatened with a tariff by President Donald Trump if the nearly $3 trillion tech giant does not move production stateside, sparking backlash online.
"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 wrote on Truth Social.
"If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S.," he continued. "Thank your for your attention to this matter!"
Apple currently makes more than 80% of its products in China, according to reporting by CNBC. However, it is in the process of moving some of its production to India as the U.S.' trade war with China ramps up. The president previously gave Apple CEO Cook a break by making smartphones an exception to any tariff imposed on China.
To follow through on Trump's order, the Silicon Valley-based multinational corporation would need to spend $30 billion over three years to move 10% of its supply chain to the states.
"In terms of profitability, it's way better for Apple to take the hit of a 25% tariff on iPhones sold in the US market than to move iPhone assembly lines back to US," Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo explained in an X post.
Not to mention the price of Apple products would increase exponentially. According to some experts, moving all production to the U.S. would increase the price of an iPhone by at least 25%, according to reporting by Economic Times. That means an iPhone 16 Pro, which currently retails for about $1,000, would cost approximately $3,500.
Social media users expressed their frustration at the potential rising cost of Apple products, which would affect approximately 155 million Americans who use iPhones.
"If Apple built iPhones in the US, no one could afford to buy them," one X user wrote. "This guy is a f***ing moron." — Tiff4Mahogany_44 🇺🇸 🇺🇦 NATO MEMBER (@tiff4mahogany) May 23, 2025
"Prices are going up. Trump is a idiot," another added.
😂🤣😂Prices are going up. Trump is a idiot. — No Name (@deaf_girl27) May 23, 2025
"Another move to f*** the American people," one user declared.
Another move to fuck the American people — Ellen Hanley (@EllenHanley8) May 23, 2025
Other users agreed that the tariff is too low to actually move the needle, echoing Apple supply chain analyst Kuo's assertion that it would be more beneficial for the company to eat the cost of the tariff.
"This isn't NEARLY high enough if you want to push production to the US. Which isn't going to happen," another wrote. "This just makes iPhones more expensive," he continued, adding the president "has no idea what he's doing."
This isn't NEARLY high enough if you want to push production to the US. Which isn't going to happen. This just makes iPhones more expensive.
He has no idea what he's doing. https://t.co/dSx63LwiN2 — Lee C Eldridge (@LeeCEldridge) May 23, 2025
Originally published on Latin Times Donald trump Apple Tim cook China
© Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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