Trump has once again played his tariff card. And this time, it's iPhone manufacturer Apple that might find itself at a crossroads. Trump, in his recent social media post, has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Apple if it moves its manufacturing operations abroad, including India.
His comments coincide with Foxconn’s $1.5 billion investment in a new component plant near Chennai.
"I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhone’s that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else. If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the US. Thank your for your attention to this matter!" POTUS said in a Truth social post.
Currently, Foxconn and Tata Electronics are the major manufacturers of iPhones in India. More recently, Foxconn has announced plans to build a 300-acre campus for iPhone production in Devanahalli, Karnataka, with an overall investment of around $2.56 billion, according to a report by The Economic Times. Meanwhile, Tata Electronics has started iPhone production at its new facility in Hosur, located in Tamil Nadu.
This isn't the first time Trump has been vocal about his disagreements with Apple over its manufacturing operations.
"I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday. I said, ‘Tim you’re my friend, I’ve treated you very good, you’re coming here (in the US) with a $500 billion announcement, and now I hear you’re building all over India. I don’t want you building in India," Trump said recently.
"You can build in India if you want to take care of India, because India is one of the highest tariff nations in the world’… ‘we put up with all the plants you built in China for years. We are not interested in you building in India. India can take care of themselves," he added.
Tariffs on Europe
Besides this, Trump has also announced that he will be imposing a straight 50% tariff rate on the European Union starting next month.
