Make iPhones in US, ‘Not India’ or Face 25% Tariff: Trump Warns Apple

New York, May 23 – In a bold and controversial statement, former US President Donald Trump on Friday issued a fresh ultimatum to tech giant Apple, warning that iPhones sold in the United States must be manufactured domestically—not in India or any other country—or face a 25% import tariff.“I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhones that will be sold in the United States of America to be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else,” Trump wrote on social media. “If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”The remarks came just days after his visit to Doha, where he criticized Apple’s growing manufacturing footprint in India. “I don’t want you building in India,” Trump reportedly told Cook. “You can build in India if you want to take care of India… We want you to build here.”Apple’s Global Production Strategy Under FireApple CEO Tim Cook had acknowledged during a Q2 2025 earnings call that India is now the country of origin for a majority of iPhones sold in the U.S., with Vietnam manufacturing most iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and AirPods. China, meanwhile, remains the primary base for Apple products sold outside the U.S.Analysts say Trump’s rhetoric may be politically driven, aimed at reviving his America First agenda ahead of the 2024 elections. However, shifting iPhone production to the U.S. is not a simple task.“It’s a familiar Trump tactic,” said Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint Research. “He wants to push Apple to localize more and build a supply chain in the US, which is not going to happen overnight. Making in the US will also be much more expensive than assembling iPhones in India.”Neil Shah, Vice President at Counterpoint, added that Apple has invested heavily in India’s manufacturing infrastructure. “In terms of capacity, India has enough to potentially meet all US iPhone demand in the future… We expect made-in-India iPhones to account for 25%-30% of global shipments in 2025, up from 18% in 2024.”What’s Next for Apple?While Apple has remained tight-lipped following Trump’s latest outburst, industry insiders suggest the company is unlikely to change course drastically. The cost implications and supply chain logistics of shifting production back to the U.S. pose significant challenges.As geopolitical tensions and trade policies continue to shape tech manufacturing, Apple finds itself in the crosshairs of a heated debate over economic nationalism versus global efficiency.— (PTI)