Trump Warns Tim Cook: Only iPhones Built In America Will Be Sold In USA, Not India Or Anywhere Else

Washington: Donald Trump has resorted to blackmail and is attempting to arm twist Apple, threatening the technology giant to either manufacture iPhones in United States or face 25 per cent tariffs on products manufactured in India. Taking to his own social media platform Truth Social, Trump said that he had informed Apple CEO Tim Cook to manufacture iPhones in United States to sold them in USA and not in India or anywhere else. If he fails to do so, then his administration would levy a 25 per cent tariffs on Apple products.

“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. If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S. Thank your for your attention to this matter,” Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump's threat on tariffs did not just stop on Apple, as the US President in another post on Truth Social, threatened a straight 50 per cent tariff on American companies manufacturing in European Union starting June 1, 2025 adding his discussions with the EU are going nowhere.

“The European Union, which was formed for the primary purpose of taking advantage of the United States on TRADE, has been very difficult to deal with. Their powerful Trade Barriers, Vat Taxes, ridiculous Corporate Penalties, Non-Monetary Trade Barriers, Monetary Manipulations, unfair and unjustified lawsuits against Americans Companies, and more, have led to a Trade Deficit with the U.S. of more than $250,000,000 a year, a number which is totally unacceptable. Our discussions with them are going nowhere! Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025. There is no Tariff if the product is built or manufactured in the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump wrote.

In the last fiscal year, Apple had produced iPhone worth USD 22 billion in India which was a whopping 60 per cent jump in its production from the prior year.

Approximately, Apple manufactured 40-45 million iPhone in 2024 in India. This was 18-20 per cent of its global production.

Out of these phones, nearly 15 million were exported to United States, 13 to other global markets while 12 million were sold within India.