Trump Very Displeased with Tim Cook’s ‘Made-In-India’ iPhone Blitz, Wants Production in U.S.

Apple is turbocharging its “friend-shoring” strategy by shifting more iPhone production from China to India—a move that could soon result in American consumers purchasing iPhones made in India.

This from discernreport.com.

However, during President Trump’s Gulf tour, he expressed new concern over the supply chain shift (at least for the first time publicly), urging Apple CEO Tim Cook to re-shore some of that iPhone production to the United States.

Trump told reporters in Qatar on Thursday, on his latest leg of his Middle East tour:

I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday.

The president said his problem centers around Indian factories producing a “majority” of iPhones for the U.S.

Trump criticized Cook’s plan:

I said to him, ‘My friend, I treated you very well. You’re coming here with $500 billion, but now I hear you’re building all over India. I don’t want you building in India.’

As a result of their meeting, Trump said Apple will be “upping their production in the United States.”

Earlier in the week, in the first leg of his tour, Trump praised Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh, saying: “Tim Cook isn’t here, but you are.”

Trump’s comments follow a recent Financial Times report indicating Apple’s friend-shoring strategy could result in as many as 60 million iPhones being produced in India by 2026—or the amount required to satisfy the U.S. market.

Apple does not produce smartphones in North America but has pledged to invest $500 billion in the U.S. market over the next four years.

Wall Street analysts have estimated that U.S. iPhone production would take years and cost tens of billions of dollars. But can they be trusted?

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently spoke with Cook about ramping up iPhone production in the U.S. and Cook told Lutnick “robotic arms” would be needed for production lines.

Lutnick said:

He’s going to build it here.

Further:

Americans are going to be the technicians who drive those factories. They’re not going to be the ones screwing it in.

Wedbush Securities recently estimated that a fully American-made iPhone could cost as much as $3,500, compared to the current average price of around $1,000. There are reports the next model could see the first price hike since the 2017 debut of the iPhone X.

Next lineup of iPhone…

Tarun Pathak, research director at tech analytics firm Counterpoint, said:

[Trump’s comments are a] familiar tactic from the president.

Further:

He wants to push Apple to localize more and build a supply chain in the U.S., which is not going to happen overnight.

And:

Making in the US will also be much more expensive than assembling iPhones in India.

God speed to the Trump-Vance team.