Apple wears Trump’s flag to escape the tariffs

Technology giant announces $ 600 billion megaacord in the US with a focus on local production and attempted exemption from tariffs

In a strategic movement that mixes corporate diplomacy, political alignment and an aggressive bet on national production, Apple announced on Wednesday (6) an ambitious plan to expand its investments in the United States, raising a total commitment to $ 600 billion over the next four years. The announcement, made at the White House Oval Hall, placed CEO Tim Cook side by side with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, in a carefully assembled scenario to convey a clear message: Apple is “coming home.”

The new amount exceeds $ 100 billion the previous promise made by the company after Trump’s reelection, reinforcing the tech giant’s effort to position itself as one of the biggest drivers of the manufacturing industry. At the center of this plan is a direct investment of $ 2.5 billion in Corning Inc., a historic supplier of special glass used in iPhones and Apple Watches. For the first time, all coverage glass of these devices will be manufactured exclusively in the United States, on Kentucky’s corning facilities.

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Until then, although Apple already highlights the use of “American glass” on its devices, part of the production still occurred outside the country. Now, with the expansion of the partnership, the manufacture will be fully nationalized – a symbolic and practical gain at a time when pressure for local production gains strength in the political scene.

“Apple has invested a little in other countries. I don’t say which, but some. And they are coming home,” Trump said during the event, highlighting the announcement as “the biggest investment ever made by a company in the United States.” The phrase, loaded with nationalist Tom, echoed in the political environment and was received with applause.

But Apple’s plan goes beyond glass. The company launched what it called American Manufacturing Program (AMP)a structured initiative to strengthen the semiconductor production chain within the American territory. The goal is clear: to demonstrate to the government that the company is aligned with the “Made in the USA” agenda – and thus seeking tariff exemptions that can impact its products.

Among the announced agreements are strategic partnerships with chip industry giants. Apple has made a commitment to GlobalWafers Co. for the production of wafers – Silicon plates that serve as a base for chips – in Texas. In addition, it expanded its collaboration with the Texas Instrumentssupporting the manufacture of electronic components in installations in Utah and Texas, which will be used on iPhones and other devices sold globally.

Another highlight is the partnership with the Samsung Electronics Co.which will work in conjunction with Apple to develop new Texas chips, focusing on increasing the performance and energy efficiency of the upcoming devices. Still in the semiconductor sector, an agreement with the GlobalFoundries Inc. It aims to boost the production of wireless technologies and energy management components in the state of New York.

Apple also joined the Applied Materials Inc.largest American manufacturer of chip production equipment to expand the manufacture of these machines in Austin, Texas. Importantly, in this case, Apple will not act as a direct manufacturer, but as an investor and driver of the productive ecosystem.

In Arizona, the company will invest in a unit operated by Amkor Technology Inc.responsible for testing and packing chips. The place will process silicon manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) In nearby factories in the US, reinforcing integration between global production and local operations.

Despite the grandeur of the ads, analysts note that Apple is, in practice, expanding existing initiatives – such as partnership with Corning, which lasts since the launch of the first iPhone in 2007. What changes now is scale and timing: the political moment is sensitive, with the Trump government pressing for national production and threatening tariffs on imported electronics, especially those assembled in India, where Apple has transfered, part of its assembly chain for the US market.

It is in this context that the announcement gains contours of a defensive play. By demonstrating a tangible commitment to the US industry, Apple seeks to protect itself from future taxes. And Trump made the message clear: “The good news for companies like Apple is that if you are building in the United States, or committed to building, there will be no charge.”

The ceremony at the Oval Hall had even a symbolic touch worthy of Hollywood. In a gesture that mixes diplomacy and reverence with the president’s style, Tim Cook presented Trump with a corning glass circular plate, recorded with the name of the president and mounted on 24 carat gold. According to Cook, the glass came out directly from a production line at Kentucky, while the gold was extracted and processed in Utah. The play was designed by a former Naval Fuzemer who today works at Apple-a detail that has not gone unnoticed by a president who strongly values military and national symbolism.

The gesture, loaded with meanings, seems to have been well received. “Is this true gold?” Asked Trump, examining the sign with a smile. “Yes, Mr. President,” said Cook, with a slight smile.

In the end, what was seen was more than a corporate announcement: it was a political act. Apple, known for its discreet stance on party issues, is now deeply immersed in the Public Relations game with the Trump administration. And the price of good coexistence can be high – but for a company that moves trillions of dollars globally, $ 600 billion in four years can be a well -calculated strategic investment.

Meanwhile, the market observes carefully. Will this wave of “Americanization” of production actually materialize? Or is it just a tactical movement to soften rates and gain time? Time will say. For now, Apple is saying, loud and clear: we are betting on the United States. And the government, in turn, seems to be listening.

Despite the optimistic tone and rescue promises of national production, one reality persists: iPhones that reach the hands of US consumers are not yet assembled in the United States. The complex and intensive process of labor-involving the integration of hundreds of components, strict tests, packaging and logistics-will continue to be performed mainly in China, with growing participation of India, where Apple has expanded its assembly operations to serve the US market.

“This part will be” elsewhere for a while, “Tim Cook admitted, without hiding the technical and economic difficulty of transferring the entire assembly chain to the American territory. “But there is a lot of content from the United States, and we are very proud of it,” he added, noting that, even without the final assembly, devices carry in their interior technology developed and manufactured on American soil – from chips to sensors, software and design.

Trump, in turn, acknowledged that Apple’s global assembly structure has been rooted for decades in other countries. “It was installed elsewhere and has been there for a long time,” he said. However, it did not hide its long -term ambition: bringing the entire production home. “This is a significant step towards the ultimate goal of ensuring that iPhones sold in the United States are also manufactured in America,” he said, with the characteristic enthusiasm of those who see in each corporate announcement a victory of the national industry.

The promise of tariff exemption, however, depends exactly on this demonstration of effort. Apple-announced investments are expected-even if they do not include the final assembly of smartphones-to be enough to frame the company in the new government rules. The logic is simple: if the company is putting billions in American factories, developing local technology and bringing critical components back to the country, it deserves a different treatment.

But the economic context is delicate. Trump’s tariffs have already begun to weigh on Apple’s pocket. Last week, the company revealed that the fees charged on imported components and products should cost about $ 1.1 billion Only in the quarter ended in September. A significant value, especially at a time when the company prepares for the launch of the line iPhone 17one of the largest releases of the year in the technology sector.

Avoiding new charges is therefore a strategic priority. And this is where the White House relationship becomes crucial – not only for commercial reasons, but also for regulatory challenges that can threaten Apple’s business model.

Cook, while celebrating partnerships with corning and Texas Instruments, also seeks political backing on other sensitive fronts. THE US Department of Justice It is conducting an antitrust process against the company, questioning practices such as App Store control and the payment system within the applications. In addition, there is a direct threat to the US $ 20 billion With Google – which guarantees the technology giant search engine is the standard in Safari, the Apple browser. If this agreement is undone, the financial impact would be immediate and severe.

Another frontier is the international. In the European Union, Apple faces new and rigid regulations, such as Digital Markets Law (DMA)which requires the company to open the app store for competitors and allow us to download applications from external sources. This poses a risk to the safety of the iOS ecosystem and its profitability. A diplomatic or US political support could help Apple to negotiate with Brussels from a stronger position.

Thus, the event at the Oval Hall goes beyond a simple investment announcement. It is a multifaceted movement: a demonstration of loyalty to Trump’s economic agenda, an attempted shielding against tariffs, an imaging effort, and possibly a silent call for protection in the midst of a regulatory storm.

And this is not the first time Apple has resorted to this type of strategy. In 2019, during Trump’s first term, the company announced that it would begin to set up Mac Pro in Texas – a decision that, in practice, was a continuity, as the previous model has been produced in the state since 2013. Even so, the gesture was celebrated as a triumph of the national industry and earned Apple a tariff exemption on imported components.

Now, with Trump’s return to power, the story repeats itself – but on a much larger scale. The initial commitment of $ 500 billion, announced earlier this year, had already been a sign of alignment. At the time, Apple revealed plans to manufacture artificial intelligence servers in Houston, marking its deeper entry into the data infrastructure sector.

On Wednesday, Cook reinforced this commitment: “The first test units left the factory assembly last month,” he said, referring to AI servers. “We will continue to develop technologies at the center of our products here in America.”

The message is clear: even if the iPhone does not yet come out of an Ohio or Michigan assembly line, the innovation that moves it – the chips, the algorithms, the design – is increasingly built within the US. And it is in this territory that Apple is choosing to battle.

In the global board of technology, where supply chains cross continents and political decisions can change the course of billions, Apple is playing intelligently. You are investing where you can, promising what is possible and negotiating what is needed.

And while the world expects the first iPhone really “made in America”, the company has already understood a fundamental lesson: sometimes, the most important is not where the product is assembled, but where it is imagined, projected and defended.

With information from Bloomberg and news agencies*