Tim Cook helped Apple temporarily avoid Trump's tariff storm — WP
As the Trump administration imposes new tariffs on Chinese imports, Apple CEO Tim Cook has been working behind the scenes to cushion the blow to his company. While other executives have publicly criticized the White House's policies, Cook has taken a low-key approach — and it's been effective, according to The Washington Post.
Tim Cook personally spoke with Commerce Secretary Howard Latnick and consulted with other senior administration officials, after which it was announced that Apple, along with several other major companies, had been exempted from new tariffs on electronics made in China.
The decision was made despite the insistence of adviser Peter Navarro, who urged against making any exceptions. Analysts believe that without the tariff "pass", the new price of the top iPhone models could exceed $2,000.
Apple's tariff exemption was temporary, but it helped the company maintain stability in the market, with its shares up 7%. Meanwhile, other technology companies, including video game and consumer electronics manufacturers, did not receive such benefits.
While the White House has officially denied any special treatment for Apple, Donald Trump himself has told reporters: "I helped Tim Cook recently, and that whole business." According to former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Cook is respected in the administration for his calm, unemotional manner.
Apple remains among the companies most dependent on Chinese manufacturing, with up to 90% of iPhone components assembled there. Despite efforts to diversify supply chains to Vietnam and India, the company remains vulnerable to changes in US trade policy.
The Apple situation has become a model for other tech leaders: Google CEO Sundar Pichai and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang have also recently met with Trump. Such actions by businesses could significantly influence the future economic policy of an administration that has returned to power with the intention of dramatically changing the rules of global trade.