SOURCE : NEW18 NEWS
Last Updated:May 23, 2025, 17:25 IST
‘I expect their iPhones that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else,’ says Donald Trump.
Last week, US President Donald Trump warned Apple CEO Tim Cook against expanding Apple’s manufacturing footprint in India, unless it is specifically to serve the Indian market. (File Photo: Reuters)
US President Donald Trump on Friday said iPhones sold in the United States should be manufactured domestically or face a steep 25 per cent tariff if built in India or anyplace else. It comes a week after a similar statement by the US president, warning Apple CEO Tim Cook against expanding Apple’s manufacturing footprint in India, unless it is specifically to serve the Indian market.
In the latest post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump wrote, “I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhones 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 US. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
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Apple sells over 60 million iPhones in the US annually with roughly 80% of them made in China currently.
Last week, during a business event in Doha, Qatar, on May 15, Trump said he had a direct conversation with Apple CEO Tim Cook, advising him against expanding Apple’s manufacturing footprint in India, unless it is specifically to serve the Indian market.
“Told Apple CEO Tim Cook we’re not interested in you building in India, they can take care of themselves,” Trump had said.
Trump had also said Apple would increase its production in the United States. “Apple will be upping their production in the United States,” he added.
According to reports recently, Apple aimed to make most of its iPhones sold in the US at factories in India by the end of 2026, and is speeding up those plans to navigate potentially higher tariffs in China, its main manufacturing base.
Importantly, India and the US are poised to sign the first tranche of the much-anticipated Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) before July, according to reports.
A round of meetings with the United States Trade Representative has already concluded.
Officials from both nations have discussed various issues related to goods trade, with India pushing for concessions on labour-intensive exports such as leather and textiles. Service sector issues have also featured prominently in the discussions.
On Thursday, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal held a meeting with Howard Lutnick, the US Secretary of Commerce, to discuss the prospects of a mutually beneficial trade agreement between the two nations.
The meeting focused on deepening economic ties and exploring new opportunities for collaboration in trade and investment.
Trump last week said India had offered to eliminate tariffs on US imports. “India has offered us a deal where basically they are willing to literally charge us no tariff,” he said, speaking at a gathering of business leaders in Doha.
- First Published:
May 23, 2025, 17:11 IST
