President Trump pressures Apple to impose 25% tariffs on iPhones if they are not manufactured in the U.S.; similar tariffs are planned for other manufacturers such as Samsung

U.S. President Donald Trump is known for building a friendly relationship with Apple CEO Tim Cook , who has exempted Apple products from reciprocal tariffs . President Trump has repeatedlycalled on Apple to manufacture iPhones in the U.S., and it has now been revealed that he has put pressure on Apple, threatening to impose a 25% tariff on iPhones if they are not manufactured in the U.S.

Trump Says Apple Tariffs Would Also Target Samsung, Other Makers - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-23/trump-says-apple-tariffs-would-also-target-samsung-other-makers

Trump threatens Apple with a 25 percent iPhone tariff | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/673424/trump-apple-iphone-tariff-25-percent-india

25% iPhone tariff unless Apple brings manufacturing to the US
https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/05/23/trump-administration-2-percent-iphone-tariff-threat/

President Trump has previously called on Apple to 'manufacture iPhones in the United States,' and in April 2025, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt made a statement that 'American products, including iPhones, can be shifted to manufacturing in the United States,' which caused a stir.

The Trump administration reiterates that 'iPhones can be manufactured in the United States,' despite Steve Jobs and CEO Tim Cook repeatedly stating that 'manufacturing in the United States is difficult' - GIGAZINE

On the other hand, Apple has responded flexibly to the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, such as by quickly importing iPhones and relocating its manufacturing base from China to India .

However, President Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to stop manufacturing iPhones in India and continues to urge iPhone manufacturing in the United States.

President Trump asks Apple CEO Tim Cook to stop iPhone manufacturing in India - GIGAZINE

On May 23, 2025 local time, President Trump posted on his social media account, Truth Social, 'I have long communicated to Apple CEO Tim Cook that I expect iPhones sold in the United States to be manufactured and assembled in the United States, not in India or any other country. If they are not, Apple will pay at least a 25% tariff to the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter.'

Furthermore, during a press conference at the White House on the afternoon of May 23, President Trump announced that the tariffs would apply not only to Apple but also to other companies, including Samsung, and would take effect at the end of June. 'It's not just Samsung, it's all the companies that make those products. It wouldn't be fair otherwise,' President Trump said.

Trump Warns 25% Tariffs for Imported Samsung Products - YouTube


'Tim Cook said he was going to build a factory in India. I said, 'You can go to India, but you can't sell Indian products without tariffs. That's the status quo,' Trump said.

Apple has been diversifying its manufacturing base for several years, but the move has accelerated due to the reciprocal tariffs imposed by President Trump. Foxconn, which manufactures Apple products, is also reportedly building a $1.5 billion factory in Chennai, southern India, to supply iPhone displays.

At the time of writing, imports from India to the United States are subject to a 10% tariff. Meanwhile, imports from China are subject to a higher 30% tariff, so Apple has been looking to import products from India, where tariffs are lower, into the United States.

Most Apple products, including smartphones, are exempt from the reciprocal tariffs , but this is a temporary measure , so the situation remains unstable as it is unclear when tariffs will rise.

Apple has announced plans to invest $500 billion over the next four years to strengthen its manufacturing base in the United States.

Apple announces plans to invest 75 trillion yen in America and hire 20,000 new employees - GIGAZINE

Despite this huge investment, experts have pointed out that a 'Made in America' iPhone will be difficult to achieve, and the reasons for this are summarized in the article below.

What are the challenges of producing a 'Made in America' iPhone? - GIGAZINE