Trump says he told Apple to stop making iPhones in India: ‘Had a little problem with Tim Cook'

Core Viewpoint - President Trump has urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to reduce iPhone production in India and instead increase manufacturing in the United States, which could complicate Apple's global supply chain strategy [1][3][12]. Group 1: Production and Manufacturing - Apple is planning to produce the majority of iPhones sold in the US from India by the end of 2026 to mitigate geopolitical risks and avoid trade disruptions due to US-China tensions [8]. - In the 12 months through March, Apple assembled $22 billion worth of iPhones in India, marking a 60% increase in output compared to the previous year [13]. - Approximately 20% of Apple's global iPhone production, over 40 million units, is now manufactured in India, primarily by Foxconn and Tata Group [13]. Group 2: Investment and Economic Strategy - Apple announced a $500 billion investment in the US economy over four years, which includes creating 20,000 new jobs and establishing a Houston AI server plant [6][9]. - Trump's comments suggest he would allow Apple to produce devices in India for the local market but not for export to the US [13][15]. Group 3: Challenges and Implications - Transitioning production from India or China to the US would be costly and slow due to the complexities of Apple's established supply chain [16]. - Manufacturing in the US is expected to be significantly more expensive than assembling iPhones in India [12].