U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a strong warning to Apple, stating that if the tech giant fails to bring iPhone production back to American soil, the company should be subjected to at least a 25% tariff on its U.S. sales.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “A long time ago, I told Apple CEO Tim Cook that I expected iPhones sold in the U.S. to be made in the U.S.—not in India or elsewhere. If that’s not the case, Apple should pay at least a 25% tariff.”
Trump’s statement came amid growing reports about Apple’s deepening ties with India. It was recently revealed that Apple plans to source all iPhones sold in the U.S. from India, which sparked reports of tensions between Trump and Tim Cook.
According to the Financial Times, Apple’s main manufacturing partner Foxconn has already begun investing $1.5 billion in a new screen production facility in Chennai, India. Apple has been actively diversifying its production base, prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions. It is estimated that around 25% of global iPhone production will be based in India in the coming years.
Although Apple has pledged to invest $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, industry analysts argue that manufacturing iPhones domestically presents major challenges in terms of logistics, cost, and labor. Trump’s aggressive stance now raises questions about whether Apple will reconsider its production strategy.