The technology giant Apple announced an additional investment of 100 billion dollars to boost its production in the United States and thus avoid the application of tariffs on its products in the global trade war unleashed by Donald Trump.
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During the meeting, Cook pointed out that this decision was motivated by a direct request from the president. “The president asked us to think about what else we could commit to doing,” he said, and added that the Apple team accepted that challenge with determination.
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Trump, for his part, highlighted the magnitude of the announcement by stating that it is "the largest investment Apple has ever made in the United States or anywhere else." According to the president, the company will also launch a new program focused on domestic manufacturing, aimed at expanding the production of technological components in the United States.
New plants and expanding data centers
Apple has already started this year the construction of a new plant in Houston, intended for the production of artificial intelligence servers. This is in addition to the planning of new data centers in states such as North Carolina, Iowa, and Oregon, with additional investments of billions of dollars.
“I am proud to say that Apple is leading the creation of a silicon supply chain from start to finish here in the United States,” Cook declared at another moment during the event, reaffirming the company’s commitment to local technological development in response to the new scenario imposed by Trump.
The company detailed that, as part of its new American Manufacturing Program, 24 factories will be established in 12 different states. According to CNN, these facilities will aim to produce over 19,000 million chips by 2025, positioning Apple as a key player in strengthening the national semiconductor industry.
Incentives versus tariff measures
One of the key factors behind the announcement is the trade policy driven by the Trump administration, which includes a 100% tariff on imported semiconductors and computer chips. However, the president clarified that this measure will not apply to companies that manufacture their products within the country, such as Apple.
In February, Apple had already communicated its intention to invest 500 billion dollars in the United States over a period of four years, with an estimated creation of 20,000 new jobs. However, a report published by the Washington Post indicated that a large part of that amount corresponds to normal operating expenses. With this new capital injection, the total committed investment amounts to 600 billion dollars.
Tim Cook’s luxurious gift to Donald Trump
Cook, one of several tech leaders who attended Trump’s inauguration earlier this year, presented Trump with a specially designed gift, with a marked patriotic and business symbolism. The package, made in California, contained a circular plaque with an apple cut out in the center, made of glass produced in Kentucky. The design was attributed to a former Marine Corps member who currently works for Apple. The base of the object was made of 24-carat gold, crafted in Utah.
This gesture was interpreted as a show of harmony with the preferences of the Republican president, who has expressed his appreciation for national products and decorative elements in gold on multiple occasions.