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

Apple is in the process of shifting its iPhone manufacturing base from China to India, but President Donald Trump has reportedly asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to stop making iPhones in India.

Trump Wants Apple (AAPL) to Stop Moving iPhone Production to India - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-15/trump-wants-apple-to-stop-moving-iphone-production-to-india

Trump wants Apple to stop making more iPhones in India | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/667649/donald-trump-apple-stop-producing-iphones-india

Trump tells Apple's CEO to stop expanding iPhone production in India | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/15/trump-tells-apples-ceo-to-stop-expanding-iphone-production-in-india/

Apple makes most of its iPhones in China and does not produce any smartphones in the US. But to mitigate risks related to tariffs and geopolitical tensions, Apple is accelerating its shift out of China, with plans to make all US-bound iPhones in India by the end of 2026.

Apple plans to manufacture more than 60 million iPhones sold in the US annually in India by the end of 2026 - GIGAZINE

However, President Trump has been adamant that 'iPhones can be produced in the United States,' and has demanded that Apple move all of its iPhone manufacturing bases to the United States.

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

According to Bloomberg, an economic media outlet, President Trump said during a visit to Qatar, 'I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday. We've invested $500 billion in them, and now they're going to build (production bases) all over India... I'm not interested in building (bases) in India.' The day before he made this remark, Foxconn, a major iPhone manufacturer, had just received approval from the Indian government for a $435 million (approximately 63 billion yen) project to produce Apple chips in India.

The remarks can be heard at about 17 minutes and 25 seconds in the video below.

Trump Talks American Made iPhone, India & Iran At Qatar Meeting (Full Remarks) - YouTube


After meeting with Cook, President Trump asserted that Apple would 'increase' production in the U.S. In February 2025, Apple pledged to invest $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, but the reality is that the lack of labor, suppliers and manufacturing facilities in the U.S. makes it highly unlikely that iPhones will be produced in the U.S.

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

Trump's remarks could throw a wrench into Apple's plan to import most of the iPhones it sells in the U.S. from India by the end of 2026. Apple's Indian subsidiary did not respond to Bloomberg's request for comment.