Donald Trump Warns Apple: "Make iPhones in America, Not India"

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to tech giant Apple, demanding that iPhones sold in the United States be manufactured domestically. In a social media post, Trump declared that if Apple continues to produce iPhones in countries like India, the company would face a tariff of at least 25 percent.

“I have already told Apple CEO Tim Cook that iPhones sold in the U.S. market must be made in the United States,” Trump wrote. “If they are made anywhere else, including India, they will be taxed.”

Trump’s remarks come amid Apple’s increasing shift of manufacturing operations to India. The company has significantly expanded its production footprint there, with India emerging as a key hub in its global supply chain. According to official data, Apple exported 3.1 million iPhones from India in March 2024 alone. In total, 75.9 million iPhones were sold in the U.S. during that year.

India’s Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, revealed in April that iPhones worth approximately ₹1.5 lakh crore were exported from India during the last financial year.

Trump’s statement has sparked discussions across the tech and manufacturing industries. Analysts are closely watching how this could influence Apple’s long-term manufacturing strategy and its investment commitments in India.

While Trump's position aligns with his long-standing "America First" trade policy, it poses potential implications for global tech supply chains and may rekindle the debate around domestic manufacturing in the United States.