Tim Cook once knew how to handle Donald Trump. In 2019, the Apple CEO gifted the president a $6,000 Mac Pro after Trump lowered tariffs on parts Apple needed from China.
It was a savvy gesture. Trump likes praise, and Cook gave some again more recently, lauding Trump’s “focus on domestic semiconductor manufacturing”.
But the charm may have worn off. Trump grumbled about having “a little problem with Tim Cook” after learning Apple plans to shift most US iPhone supply to factories in India. “We are not interested in you building in India,” he added.
Cook can’t say as much, but he clearly has a problem of his own. Even after a recent rally, Apple shares are down 14 per cent in 2025, largely due to Trump’s China tariffs. Moving iPhone production to the US could triple the price to $3,500, according to Wedbush’s Dan Ives.
For now, Cook is keeping quiet. The Mac Pro didn’t buy much lasting goodwill.
