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US President Donald Trump on Thursday turned the spotlight on Apple CEO Tim Cook, questioning him on the company’s level of commitment to the United States even as the iPhone maker expands its footprint in India.
The high-profile exchange took place at a White House dinner attended by top Silicon Valley CEO's.
"How much money is Apple going to be investing in the United States, because you know, you were really elsewhere and now you are coming back home in a big way," Trump told Cook, sparking laughter and applause around the table.
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Tim Cook’s response at White House dinner
In response, Tim Cook said: "$600 billion." Cook went on to praise the president for fostering an innovation-friendly climate
“I want to thank you for setting the tone such that we could make a major investment in the United States… That says a lot about your focus and your leadership and your focus on innovation,” Cook said, also acknowledging First Lady Melania Trump’s work in education.
The conversation unfolded in the presence of other tech heavyweights, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. In a video clip shared by the White House on X, Cook is seen warmly thanking Trump for the “tone” he set for Apple’s US growth.
Trump questions other tech leaders
The US President did not stop with Apple. He posed the same question to Zuckerberg, who echoed Cook’s response with: "$600 billion." When asked about Google’s US commitments, Sundar Pichai replied, "We are well north of $100 billion. In the next two years, it will be $250 billion in the US."
India expansion continues despite Trump’s jibe
The sharp exchange comes just months after Trump publicly told Cook he did not want Apple building its products in India, a remark aimed at the company’s bid to diversify production away from China. Despite this, Apple has accelerated its India plans.
Earlier this week, Apple opened its first retail store in South India at Bengaluru’s Phoenix Mall of Asia, its third outlet after Mumbai and New Delhi. The 8,000 sq. ft. store marks a stronger retail push in the country.
Production shift to India gathers pace
Apple is also aggressively scaling up iPhone production in India. The company operates five factories in the country, including two new ones, and for the first time, all four iPhone 17 models -- including pro-level versions --will be produced in India from launch, as per a foreign media report.
Apple has reportedly committed around $2.5 billion to India to raise its production capacity from over 40 million units annually to about 60 million. The move is seen as part of Apple’s strategy to cut its heavy reliance on China, which still accounts for around 90 per cent of iPhone assembly.
English (US) ·