President Trump exempted Apple products from tariffs because Apple CEO Tim Cook directly lobbied the Secretary of Commerce and other government officials.
by
In April 2025, the Trump administration announced that some electronic devices would be exempt from tariffs as it implemented large-scale tariffs on imports from China. It was reported that the decision was made at the urging of Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, which produces iPhones, Macs, and other products in China.
How Apple's Tim Cook navigated out of Trump's tariffs on China — for now - The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/04/17/apple-iphone-tariff-exemption-trump/
Report: How Tim Cook helped Apple avoid Trump's tariffs - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/04/17/tim-cook-trump-tariffs/
Cook call helped Trump introduce tariff exemptions helping Apple
https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/04/17/a-call-from-tim-cook-helped-convince-trump-to-introduce-tariff-exemptions
According to The Washington Post, Cook called Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick directly to express his concerns about the impact of tariffs on iPhone prices, and he also contacted other senior White House officials to explain the seriousness of the situation.
The Washington Post noted that 'unlike other corporate executives, Cook has not publicly criticized President Trump or his policies,' and said that while other CEOs have criticized the administration on television and elsewhere, Cook's quiet approach of silence and direct negotiations has been a success.
by
In addition, CEO Cook has previously built a personal relationship with President Trump by holding one-on-one dinners, and it has been reported that he donated more than $1 million (about 145 million yen) to the presidential inauguration. Including these political approaches, CEO Cook's lobbying activities were strategic and clever, according to The Washington Post.
Apple CEO Tim Cook donates over 150 million yen to Trump's inauguration - GIGAZINE
As a result of this series of actions, the Trump administration took measures to temporarily exempt Apple from tariffs on electronic products manufactured in China. However, it has also been revealed that within the administration, National Security Adviser Peter Navarro was strongly opposed to the temporary exemption, suggesting that CEO Cook's lobbying had a significant impact.
by Palazzo Chigi
The exemption from the tariffs is a temporary measure and may change depending on future semiconductor-related investigations, but this decision has temporarily boosted Apple's stock price and other tech companies have also benefited from it. The Trump administration claims that this measure is not preferential treatment for a specific company, calling it 'part of a strategic and sophisticated China policy,' but there are also criticisms that this special measure only benefits Apple. In fact, the seven new tariff items are almost perfectly aligned with Apple's products, making it difficult for other companies to obtain similar relief.
Experts have expressed concern about the negative impact of such political lobbying on small and medium-sized enterprises and innovation.
'The problem is that companies will spend time and resources on political lobbying rather than on technological innovation to avoid the impact of tariffs,' said Michael Strain, an economist at the American Enterprise Institute. In addition, former Biden administration trade official and economic consultant Alex Jacques said, 'It's abnormal that the only way out of the chaos is to 'pay money,' while small businesses and less well-funded manufacturers have no way to get the same treatment and will eventually collapse.'
Related Posts:
