California Attorney General Rob Bonta says he’s prepared to sue if former President Donald Trump follows through on a threat to impose a 25% tariff on iPhones made outside the United States. The statement came after Trump posted on Truth Social urging Apple to shift iPhone manufacturing to the U.S. and warning that products made in India would face new penalties.
Bonta, speaking at a press conference Friday, said his office would closely monitor any formal tariff action. If the policy targets Apple specifically or violates legal protections for California-based companies, the state may take legal action. “We’ll make sure that if the law is broken and we have standing to sue, we’ll take appropriate action,” he said, responding to a question from Politico.
Tariffs could hit Apple
Trump initially singled out Apple, saying iPhones should not be made “in India, or anyplace else.” He later clarified that tariffs would also apply to other manufacturers, including Samsung, calling it a matter of fairness. Still, Bonta viewed the comments as an impulsive attack on a key California company.
“The statement about Apple is something that is obviously disappointing,” Bonta said. “It’s almost like he wakes up and decides what policy to announce without thinking about the consequences.”
Apple, headquartered in Cupertino, has not responded publicly. The company lacks domestic infrastructure to support large-scale iPhone production, and previous efforts to expand U.S. chip manufacturing have faced delays. Taiwan-based TSMC, Apple’s key chip supplier, is only now operating its first plant in Arizona, and it doesn’t yet produce chips for current iPhone models.
Apple’s stock fell 3% on Friday, continuing a weeklong decline tied in part to concerns over possible trade disruptions.
California’s economic stake
Bonta emphasized Apple’s role in California’s economy, which ranks as the fourth largest in the world. He framed the threat of tariffs as a political maneuver that could jeopardize a major state employer.
“It’s because of companies like Apple that California has become the fourth-largest economy in the world,” Bonta said. “We’re proud of California companies, and we want to make sure their rights are not violated—especially by the president of the United States, which is not something that you would normally have to protect against.”
Legal scrutiny ahead
Bonta said his office will review any formal tariff proposal to determine whether it unfairly targets Apple or other California-based firms. While he has previously pursued Big Tech over privacy and antitrust issues, this time he positioned himself as a defender of California’s corporate interests.
The AG stopped short of committing to a lawsuit, but made clear that legal action is on the table if Trump follows through.
“We want to make sure this isn’t just political posturing,” Bonta said. “If it becomes policy that violates the law, we’ll be ready.”
