According to President Trump, Apple has agreed to start manufacturing some of their products actually in the United States. Although Apple has not confirmed the statement, Trump insists they will be building three “big, big, big” manufacturing plants in the US.
Trump’s plans for Apple
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, the President made the statement which will hopefully help fulfil his economic goals for the country:
“I spoke to [Mr. Cook], he’s promised me three big plants–big, big, big,”
“I said you know, Tim, unless you start building your plants in this country, I won’t consider my administration an economic success. He called me, and he said they are going forward.”
Trumps economic plan
What Trump does not confirm is the location of the plants or what they will be manufacturing. President Trump has made no secret of the fact that he thinks Apple should be manufacturing in the US. In January of 2016 he was very clear:
“we’re going to get Apple to start building their damn computers and things in this country instead of other countries,”
Apple’s response
Apple previously justified using manufacturing plants in China by reinforcing how skilled their workforce is.
“China put an enormous focus on manufacturing,”
“The U.S., over time, began to stop having as many vocational kind of skills. I mean, you can take every tool and die maker in the United States and probably put them in a room that we’re currently sitting in. In China, you would have to have multiple football fields.”
Trump was not convinced however and he tried to force the tech giant into moving by threatening to introduce a 45% tax on products imported from China.
In response to increasing pressure, Apple has asked its suppliers, Foxconn and Pegatron, to start looking into making products in the US…according to Trump that is.