Trump Advisor Bashes Apple for Tech’s ‘Longest-Running Soap Opera’

White House trade advisor Peter Navarro gave Apple CEO Tim Cook a new, somewhat unexpected title in a recent interview: soap opera star.

Navarro, who has advised President Donald Trump since his first term is a staunch tariff advocate, said on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” that Apple CEO Tim Cook isn’t doing enough to move manufacturing out of China.

“Going back to the first trump term, Tim Cook has continually asked for more time in order to move his factories out of China,” Navarro said. “I mean it’s the longest-running soap opera in Silicon Valley. My problem with Tim Cook is he never takes the steps to actually do that.”

He added that it’s “inconceivable” that Apple couldn’t move manufacturing. Representatives for the White House and Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Apple has historically depended on a sprawling supply chain in China to manufacture and ship its products to America, though the company has taken steps to diversify its supply chain amid the Trump administration’s trade war with China. The White House delayed tariffs again this weekend; now, the Liberation Day tariffs are set to take effect on August 1.

In February, Apple committed to investing $500 billion in US projects throughout the next four years. An analyst previously told BI that a made-in-America iPhone could cost $3,500, and some think it’s impossible for the company to shift manufacturing to the US at all.

Apple is ramping up iPhone production in India, which Cook talked about during a May earnings call.

“For the June quarter, we do expect the majority of iPhones sold in the US will have India as their country of origin, and Vietnam to be the country of origin for almost all iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and AirPods products also sold in the US,” Cook said.

In May, Trump threatened a 25% tariff on iPhones that aren’t made in the US. He’s also criticized Apple’s investment in India, saying in May that he has a “little problem” with Cook because of the effort there rather than in the US. It’s generally been a tough year for Apple stock, given lagging iPhone sales and a lackluster showing in the AI race.

Navarro was also asked about his public spat with another tech bigwig during his interview: Tesla CEO and former White House darling Elon Musk. He generally brushed off the question, though, and instead spoke about the spending bill that Trump recently signed into law. Over the weekend, Musk announced he is forming a new political party after publicly criticizing the bill.



Source link

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

Related Article

X screenshot Elon Musk @elonmusk

MAGA Spirals After Shock Trump Conclusion on Jeffrey Epstein

The Trump administration has severely deflated conspiracy theories surrounding the case of Jeffrey Epstein. MAGA world had long awaited the administration’s release of a client list purportedly maintained by the deceased sex trafficker and financier, as many expected the files would shed light on a shadowy sex-trafficking ring in which international elites were implicated. The

Yemeni members of the Houthis carry a sign of the hijacked Galaxy Leader at a rally supporting Palestinians in February 2024

Israel bombs British ship seized by Houthis

Israel has bombed a British-owned ship captured by the Yemen based-Houthis as part of a wave of air strikes against the Yemen-based terror group. The ship, Galaxy Leader, was hijacked in November 2023 by terrorists rappelling from a helicopter in a commando-style raid that caught the world’s attention. The cargo vessel, registered in the Bahamas,

Afghan refugees at the Islam Qala border crossing

Iran deports 300,000 Afghans over Israel spying fears

Iran has deported more than 300,000 Afghan migrants over the last two weeks, Afghan authorities said. The exodus has been sparked by a national security drive in Tehran, which fears Afghans could be spying for Israel. Refugees described arbitrary arrests, detentions and widespread abuse by Iranian security forces, and said tensions spiralled after Israel’s strikes

Strategy Posts $14 Billion Unrealized Gain in Second Quarter

(Bloomberg) — Michael Saylor’s Strategy (MSTR) registered an unrealized gain of $14.05 billion in the second quarter due to a rebound in Bitcoin’s price and a recent accounting change. Most Read from Bloomberg The unrealized gain was partially offset by a related deferred tax expense of $4.04 billion, the company said in a US Securities

Verus Engineering

Verus Engineering Turns the Stingray Into a Downforce Monster

Verus Engineering Turns the Stingray Into a Downforce Monster originally appeared on Autoblog. America’s Mid-Engine Muscle Gets Hotted-Up When Chevrolet moved the engine behind the seats for the eighth-generation Corvette, it changed the nameplate’s history. The C8 Stingray is no longer just America’s sports car; it’s become a legitimate rival to Europe’s best. That’s even

Ford CEO Jim Farley Yet Again Praises Chinese Automakers

Ford CEO Jim Farley Yet Again Praises Chinese Automakers

Read the full story on The Auto Wire Ford CEO Jim Farley Yet Again Praises Chinese Automakers Ford CEO Jim Farley has once again praised Chinese automakers, in particular how they manufacture EVs. One has to seriously wonder why the guy is in his position and not working for Geely or Great Wall if he

Crisis in the copper chain: innovation, geopolitics and Australia

Crisis in the copper chain: innovation, geopolitics and Australia

Soaring copper demand is driving tech innovation, but can Australia capitalise on the opportuity? Credit: evan_huang / Shutterstock. As demand for clean energy tech rises, the global copper market is facing a supply-demand gap that analysts warn could be near impossible to close if production remains at its current levels. Adding to the market volatility

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x