Trump Issues Warning to Apple Over iPhone Production in India

Trump's Warning to Apple

President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Apple, threatening a 25% import tariff if the tech giant does not shift its iPhone manufacturing back to the United States.

This action appears to be a strategic move by Trump to influence Apple's decision to ramp up its iPhone production in India.

Pressure on Apple

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated, "I have previously informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhones sold in the United States to be manufactured domestically, not in India or elsewhere."

"If this does not happen, Apple will be required to pay a tariff of at least 25%. Thank you for your attention to this matter," he added.

Discussion with Tim Cook

On May 15, during a speech in Doha, Trump mentioned that he had a conversation with Apple CEO Tim Cook, urging him to limit the company's expansion efforts in India.

Recently, Apple has taken significant steps to enhance its iPhone production in India, establishing assembly plants in the country, including two in Tamil Nadu and one in Karnataka. The company has partnered with manufacturers like Foxconn and Tata Group for these production units.

Apple's Production Milestones

In the last fiscal year, Apple produced iPhones worth USD 22 billion in India, marking a remarkable 60% increase from the previous year.

In 2024, Apple manufactured around 40-45 million iPhones in India, which represented 18-20% of its total global output. Out of this production, approximately 15 million units were exported to the United States, 13 million to other international markets, and about 12 million were sold within India.