President Trump’s threat to slap a 25% tariff on iPhones not made in the United States appears to be a direct response to Apple CEO Tim Cook skipping the president’s recent Middle East trip. The move caught Apple and parts of the White House off guard, but insiders say it was personal.
Cook’s No-Show Didn’t Go Unnoticed
During his high-profile tour of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, Trump brought along a group of powerful tech executives. Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and OpenAI’s Sam Altman were among them. Tim Cook, however, declined the invitation. His absence stood out.
At a Riyadh event, Trump publicly praised Huang, then made a pointed remark: “Tim Cook isn’t here, but you are.” Days later in Qatar, he told business leaders he had “a little problem with Tim Cook” and criticized Apple’s growing investment in Indian manufacturing.
Shortly after that, Trump posted a threat online, stating iPhones built outside the U.S. would face a 25% tariff. He accused Apple of defying his expectations and insisted that the company start producing iPhones domestically.
A Shift in Tone Between Trump and Cook
The timing of the tariff threat follows Apple’s recent exemption from a 145% China-related import duty. That reprieve, won by Cook through backchannel efforts in Washington, may now be overshadowed by the president’s growing frustration.
During Trump’s first term, Cook maintained access and influence by engaging directly with the administration. He attended White House events, made strategic U.S. investments, and avoided confrontation. That balance is now shifting. Trump, once quick to praise Cook, is now openly critical.
According to The New York Times, the tariff threat marked a public turn in a relationship that once gave Apple a buffer from policy backlash. Sources close to the administration confirmed Cook’s decision to skip the trip angered the president, especially as Apple continues to shift production to India.
Despite Apple’s pledge to invest $500 billion in the U.S. and plans to manufacture AI servers in Texas, Trump remains focused on relocating iPhone production itself. “If they’re going to sell it in America, I want it to be built in the United States,” he said Friday.
Cook has not responded publicly. The White House and Apple both declined to comment.
As reported by The New York Times, this episode reflects how strained the once-strategic relationship has become. For Apple, the price of skipping a presidential trip may now be measured in billions.