Trump Threatens 25% Tariffs on Apple If iPhones Not Made in US

46 impish9208 19 5/23/2025, 12:02:35 PM bloomberg.com ↗

Comments (19)

jqpabc123 · 6h ago
The only logical choice for Apple is to pay the 25% tariff.

And the only logical choice for consumers/voters is to decide if they want to support this "tax" and by extension, it's proponent.

The simple fact is that we now live in an interconnected world. It is simply not possible or practical to natively produce everything that goes into an iPhone. Not now, not within the decades to come and probably not ever.

And decrees from the fuhrer and pining for yesteryear won't change this.

boroboro4 · 24m ago
> The simple fact is that we now live in an interconnected world. It is simply not possible or practical to natively produce everything that goes into an iPhone.

US is a huge country with tremendous human capital and natural resources. I don’t see issues with US producing much more goods than it is producing now. It might be not practical, or not practical yet, but it’s for sure possible.

duxup · 6h ago
I suspect Apple is concerned not just with the tariff, but the next tweet and the next…

Tim already paid his bribe, https://variety.com/2025/digital/news/apple-ceo-tim-cook-don... and others who have cut deals with him have found those deals to be less than solid. Law firms that settled with Trump have reported that they've received demands well outside their agreements.

jqpabc123 · 5h ago
Concern is certainly understandable.

The choice for Apple (and everyone) is how to respond effectively and appropriately.

As it stands, the world economy is being subjected to the whims of one person. And this person has a checkered history with marketplace economics.

raincom · 3h ago
In the third world, $1M is hardly considered as a bribe. For large contracts in the third world, companies pay 20% as bribe. That's why Benazir Bhutto's husband is called "Mr 10%". In India, regional parties rule many states; the big bosses there want 20%.
AnimalMuppet · 5h ago
No, the only logical choice for Apple is to go to court to block this random act of executive over-reach. The president does not have the constitutional authority to impose random tariffs on individual companies.
jqpabc123 · 5h ago
Haven't you heard, the law no longer applies. He has been anointed with immunity.
bangertho · 5h ago
All Presidents have.

A future President could have the entire admin thrown out of a plane on the way to El Salvador as an official act of national security.

I can dream.

pr07ecH70r · 6h ago
My son (who is 7 and knows already basic maths) can tell you that if a giant production like Apple moves to the US will cost at least 90% or even more to produce. This automatically will make them 110+% more expensive, which will destroy the demand. And who will pay?! The biggest market - USA (~43% as of 2024) Interesting who are the finance advisors of the guy in the white house?!? Good luck!
fragmede · 5h ago
What's math for the 90% more number?
duxup · 6h ago
> who are the finance advisors of the guy in the white house

As far as we know there’s nobody with an education in this administration who is making any sensible argument why these random choices make sense / will produce.

Everyone in the administration who takes questions are political appointees / politicians and they to a person eventually ignore any specific questions and then tell you how great Trump is. The press conferences are creepy at times.

The little info that leaks out from insiders indicates Trump doesn’t take advice from even his own staff often and they are blindsided by tweets frequently.

impish9208 · 6h ago
duxup · 6h ago
I’m starting to think Trump thinks about as deeply about things as a tweet.
mdp2021 · 2h ago
I think the above parent post will enter history textbooks.
belter · 6h ago
So much energy spent, when all Apple would have to do, is buy the correct coins...or maybe that is the purpose all along.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/trump-crypto-golf-club-dinner-...