'Pay tax or manufacture locally': Trump says iPhones sold in U.S. must be built in America, not India

May 23, 2025 by News Desk

In a fresh escalation of his America-first economic policy rhetoric, former U.S. President Donald J. Trump on Friday publicly demanded that Apple Inc. shift iPhone manufacturing back to the United States—or face a minimum 25% tariff on products sold domestically.

“I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhones that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S.”

Trump’s comments directly challenge Apple’s strategic move to expand manufacturing in India—a country that now assembles more than 14% of iPhones through partners like Foxconn and Wistron. The former president’s threat, if enacted during a potential second term, could upend Apple’s global supply chain and reignite trade tensions.

The former president’s mention of India is also notable in light of his past interventions in South Asian geopolitics. Earlier this month, during a period of heightened India-Pakistan tensions, Trump publicly claimed credit for brokering a ceasefire—announcing it hours before both countries officially acknowledged the agreement.

While India denied any third-party mediation at the time, the timing of Trump’s announcement stirred speculation about his behind-the-scenes role.

Now, with his sights turned squarely on trade and American jobs, Trump’s renewed pressure on global corporations—Apple chief among them—signals a continuation of his strategy to reorient U.S. economic dependencies and assert leverage over manufacturing decisions abroad.

Apple and Indian government officials have not yet responded to Trump’s latest remarks.