President Donald Trump on Friday warned Apple and other smartphone manufacturers that they could face steep tariffs if they continue producing devices abroad for the U.S. market.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said he had “long ago” told Apple CEO Tim Cook that iPhones sold in the United States should be assembled domestically. If not, he wrote, Apple must pay “a Tariff of at least 25%.” Speaking later from the Oval Office, Trump confirmed the tariff would also apply to competitors like Samsung.
“It would be more. It would be also Samsung and anybody that makes that product,” Trump told reporters. “Otherwise it wouldn’t be fair.”
The renewed threat follows growing frustration from Trump over Apple’s expanding operations in India. During a Middle East visit last week, the president criticized Cook for shifting iPhone manufacturing to Indian plants despite a $500 billion investment commitment in the U.S.
Apple has steadily diversified its supply chain in recent years, moving portions of iPhone production out of China. In a recent earnings call, Cook said he expects most iPhones sold in the U.S. this year will be made in India. The shift, he noted, could cost Apple up to $900 million in tariffs this quarter alone.
Despite that burden, experts say relocating the entire production ecosystem to the U.S. is unrealistic. Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives called the idea “a fairy tale,” estimating it would take up to a decade and $30 billion just to move 10% of the supply chain. He warned American-made iPhones could cost up to $3,500.
Meanwhile, Samsung, Apple’s main rival, primarily builds phones in Vietnam, India, South Korea, and Brazil. The company ceased Chinese production in 2019.
Trump’s administration has already imposed sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports, and a 10% universal duty remains on most foreign goods entering the country. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the latest threat, saying it aimed to “secure the semiconductor supply chain” and revive domestic precision manufacturing.
Apple declined to comment on Trump’s remarks. However, the company recently announced a $500 billion investment to expand U.S. operations, including server production in Texas and expanded data infrastructure in multiple states.
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