Washington, May 15, 2025: In a pointed message to Apple CEO Tim Cook, U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday criticized the tech giant’s growing manufacturing footprint in India and urged it to bring more production back to the United States.
“I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday,” Trump said during remarks in Washington. “I said to him, ‘My friend, I treated you very good. You’re coming here with $500 billion, but now I hear you’re building all over India.’ I don’t want you building in India.”
Trump was referring to Apple’s February announcement of a $500 billion investment in the U.S., part of its efforts to expand domestic operations amid mounting global supply chain tensions. However, the company has simultaneously ramped up iPhone production in India, where it aims to manufacture 25% of its global output in the coming years.
“I told Tim, ‘We’ve put up with all those plants you built in China for years. Now you’ve got to build for us. We’re not interested in you building in India — India can take care of themselves. We want you to build here,’” Trump added.
The comments come at a time when Apple is aggressively diversifying its supply chain, especially amid geopolitical uncertainties surrounding China. Foxconn, Apple’s main supplier, recently secured approval to establish a semiconductor plant in India in collaboration with HCL Group, further cementing Apple’s strategic shift towards South Asia.
Despite Trump’s push, analysts say relocating iPhone production to the U.S. is economically unviable. Estimates suggest that producing iPhones domestically would raise their cost to between $1,500 and $3,500, drastically increasing retail prices.
Apple currently manufactures very few of its products in the U.S., with the Mac Pro being one notable exception. In February, the company announced a new server manufacturing facility in Texas, intended to support Apple Intelligence, its proprietary AI system.
Trump’s remarks also touch on broader trade tensions with India, which he described as “one of the highest tariff nations in the world.” However, he claimed that India has recently offered a zero-tariff deal to the U.S.
Under the administration’s reciprocal tariff framework introduced in April, Trump imposed a 26% tariff on Indian goods, a measure temporarily eased until July pending trade negotiations.
While Apple has yet to issue a response to Trump’s latest comments, industry experts expect the company to stay the course in its global diversification strategy, balancing economic, logistical, and geopolitical factors in its supply chain decisions.
