• News
    • Tech News
    • AI
  • Gadgets
    • Apple
    • iPhone
  • Gaming
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
  • Science
    • News
    • Space
  • Streaming
    • Netflix
  • Vehicles
    • Car News
  • Social Media
    • WhatsApp
    • YouTube
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
TikTok
Snapchat
WhatsApp
Submit Your Content
Donald Trump admits he has a 'problem' with Tim Cook over tariff feud

Home> Apple> iPhone

Published 17:21 15 May 2025 GMT+1

Donald Trump admits he has a 'problem' with Tim Cook over tariff feud

The POTUS has already phoned the Apple CEO

Tom Chapman

Tom Chapman

Another of President Donald Trump's big tech relationships could be on the rocks, and after many continue to question his 'bromance' with Elon Musk as some potential cracks start to show, it's Apple CEO Tim Cook who could soon be in the POTUS' bad books.

Despite some calling out Cook for congratulating Trump on his election win and attending his January 20 inauguration, their blossoming friendship is nothing new. Whereas the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and even Musk himself have vocally clashed with Donald Trump in the past, Cook has largely managed to stay on his good side. Trump and Cook are so close, Ivanka Trump has even affectionately referred to him as Tim Apple.

Of course, President Trump's recent trade tariffs have turned the world on its head, especially when it comes to the tech world. With reports that iPhone prices could soon go through the roof,

Advert

Apple could be looking for ways to get around its over-reliance on the Chinese market when it comes to manufacturing the iPhone.

There could be trouble in paradise for the Apple CEO and the POTUS (Chip Somodevilla / Staff / Getty)
There could be trouble in paradise for the Apple CEO and the POTUS (Chip Somodevilla / Staff / Getty)

Cook has bluntly reminded consumers that tariff increases will hit Apple in the pocket in terms of manufacturing, and with him avoiding answering what the cost of future iPhones will be, there are obvious fears that will be passed down to us.

Trump's tariffs are part of his mission to try and bring manufacturing back to the USA, although others claim he's using them as political leverage to get rival countries like China to fall in line.

Advert

Away from Apple pledging a massive $500 billion over the next four years as part of a bid to boost the US economy via 20,000 new jobs and a Houston-based AI server plant, it's not exactly a 'solution' to the tariff issue.

Cook looked like he might've found a potential way around some of the tariff charges by increasing production in India, but speaking in Qatar while on his tour of the Middle East, Trump admitted he had a 'little problem' with that idea.


Discussing his rumbling trade war, Trump admitted: "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday. I said to him, 'Tim, you’re my friend. I treated you very good. You’re coming in with $500 billion.' But now I hear you’re building all over India. I don’t want you building in India'."

Advert

It comes after Cook spoke about the contentious issue during a May 2025 call and said he expected "the majority of iPhones sold in the US will have India as their country of origin."

Expanding on what happened after the call, Trump said that Apple can do some manufacturing in India "to take care of India" and added the caveat that Apple is "upping their production in the United States," although it sounds like Cook's 'majority' mention has irked the Commander-in-Chief.

The tariff troubles have seen major Apple manufacturing supplier, Foxconn, ink a deal with the Indian government to build a $433 million semiconductor plant that's set to start operating by 2027.

Still, as Apple's supply is tethered to the Asian market, it's not a simple case of switching things over to the USA and circumventing those potentially devastating Trumpenomics.

Featured Image Credit: Andrew Harnik / Staff via Getty
Donald Trump
Tim Cook
Apple
iPhone

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 days ago
4 days ago
  • 3 days ago

    Apple set to finally release new hardware users have been waiting two years for

    Power users have been begging for this new release

    Apple
  • 3 days ago

    iPhone iOS 26 feature goes viral as it tempts users to switch to Apple Music

    Apple Music fans will now be able to automix their tunes

    Apple
  • 4 days ago

    Apple tipsters leak iPhone 17 leaving fans in disbelief at 'hideous' new camera feature

    The rumored iPhone 17 is set to have an unusual camera feature

    Apple
  • 4 days ago

    iPhone fans mindblown as theory reveals Apple are ‘training’ us for something major that will change everything

    iOS 26 could signal something far more important in the future

    Apple
  • Tim Cook personally donates $1,000,000 to Donald Trump's inauguration
  • Tim Cook has just four powerful words to defend Apple coming late to AI
  • Tim Cook teases brand new Apple product as huge event is set for next week
  • Tim Cook explains why Steve Jobs recruited him even though Apple was on the brink of bankruptcy