US President Donald Trump has threatened Apple with tariffs of at least 25% on every iPhone sold in the US, unless it brings the device’s manufacturing home.

In a post on Truth Social Trump said he’s been onto Apple CEO Tim Cook to let him know the gargantuan task of transferring manufacturing from the far east back to the shores of the good ‘ol US of A where the infrastructure just does not exist must begin. Or else big beautiful tariffs, the best tariffs you’ve ever seen, etc..

It appeared that Apple had the US president’s ear and had negotiated a way around the tariff onslaught on goods manufactured outside the United States. Not anymore. Trump is now gunning for Apple too.

“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 wrote.

“If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S. Thank your for your attention to this matter!”

Apple stocks opened the day lower due to the threat, but have rebounded somewhat. They’re now 2.36% down compared to yesterday’s closing price.

It’s a threat that is unlikely to be heeded by Apple because the 25% tariff is probably still cheaper than the cost of bringing manufacturing back to the United States.

Most analysts believe it is impossible for Apple to switch large scale manufacturing back to the United States within a decade, let alone within the 3.5 years of Trump’s final term in office. Even then, one analyst believes an iPhone made in the USA would have to cost $3,500.

Opinion

Trump and Cook had been co-existing pretty well. So I wonder what’s happened to make the president call out the nation’s most iconic company directly? You know something will have happened. That’s how the president operates. I fully expect Apple to continue as normal, ignore the threat until the next change in the wind, which will probably come before the weekend’s out.