- Apple CEO Tim Cook opens up about his relationship with President Trump
- Cook reiterates Apple’s commitment to American manufacturing
- We finally know if Cook plans to stay or go in the short term
Apple CEO Tim Cook is finally opening up about his relationship with the Trump White House and his future — and his answers are likely to encourage some and frustrate others.
Cook, who has been with Apple for 28 years and has been CEO for 15, has opened up in a series of interviews to mark Apple’s 50th anniversary.
Cook isn’t exactly the navel-gazing type, and neither is Apple as a whole, a point Cook reiterated to me when I spoke with him at the first in-person 50th anniversary celebration at New York City’s Grand Central Station.
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But now Cook is being pressed in interviews about the past, present and some controversial topics, including his dealings with the Trump administration, tariffs and whether Cook plans to step down as CEO (and possibly install Apple Hardware Lead John Ternus).
In a chat with Good Morning America’s Michael Strahan, Cook did his best to explain his sometimes seemingly sweet relationship with President Donald Trump, who once knew Cook as “Tim Apple.”
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Cook attended Trump’s inauguration last year and in August presented a famous 24-carat gold and glass trophy to Trump to celebrate the launch of Apple’s US manufacturing program. It featured the glass Apple logo, Trump’s name and Cook’s signature.
Recently, Cook attended the Melania documentary screening at the White House on the same day that US Border Patrol agents shot and killed protester Alex Peretti.
Strahan pressed Cook about the apparent closeness to the administration and the criticism Cook received over it. Without directly addressing that criticism, Cook explained his approach to Trump’s White House.
“What I do is I interact with politics, not politics. I’m not a political person on either side. I’m not political. And then I’m kind of right in the middle and I focus on politics,” Cook said.
Cook added that he is glad he can “talk to the president about politics.”
The distinction Cook makes is important. Instead of focusing on controversial issues, perhaps the positions the White House takes on issues like DEI, Immigration and the war in Iran, Cook focuses on policy decisions that directly affect Apple and its products.
Whether or not you buy that Cook is essentially apolitical, lives in the middle, and can so neatly silo politics and policy, Cook’s statements and actions make his strategy clear.
As Cook told Strahan, “We’re a very proud American company and want to do as much here as we possibly can.” In recent years, Apple has moved some component manufacturing for iPhone glass and some Apple silicon to the US, although assembly of the iPhone still takes place outside the US.
For Cook and Apple, it seems “politics” equals “business.” It’s pretty clear that Cook isn’t talking to Trump about issues of affordable housing, hunger and gas prices. Instead, he’s laser-focused on the things that affect your iPhone. MacBook and iPad.
It’s a narrow view that may not quell all of his critics, but at least Cook has provided some clarity on how to run a company that, according to its stated corporate values, views business as something that “can and should be a force for good” while dealing with a US administration that some see as working in the opposite direction.
Cook’s close relationship with the White House may soon be put to the test. When Strahan asked him about the $3.3 billion in U.S. tariffs Apple has paid in the first three quarters of the fiscal year and if, as some companies do, he would sue to get the funds back, Cook didn’t exactly say Apple wouldn’t.
“Well, we’re monitoring the situation in terms of and to see what the courts will rule there and we’ll decide accordingly,” Cook said.
It’s not exactly a no.
Cook, it seems, will have time to figure it out. When asked by Strahan if he’s ready to step down, Cook said the talk was just rumors and that “I can’t imagine a life without Apple.”
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And of course you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and TikTok for news, reviews, video unboxings, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
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And of course you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and TikTok for news, reviews, video unboxings, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
