Win McNamee/Getty Images News/Getty Images
Industryweek 35530 Trump Dem Getty Promo

Trump Says Apple Won't Get China Tariff Relief

July 26, 2019
The president tweeted on Friday, "Apple will not be given Tariff wavers, or relief, for Mac Pro parts that are made in China. Make them in the USA, no Tariffs!"

President Donald Trump rejected Apple Inc.’s bid to avoid tariffs on computer parts it manufactures in China, saying the company should instead make the components in the U.S.

The Cupertino, California-based technology giant has asked the Trump administration to exclude key components that make up the forthcoming Mac Pro high-end desktop computer from 25% import tariffs, weeks after planning to relocate production of the line to China from Texas.

Apple shares dipped briefly following the tweet and mostly recovered. They were up less than 1% at 10:16 a.m. in New York. Spokesmen for the company didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump has previously promised relief if companies can show that parts or products can only be obtained in China, aren’t “strategically important” to Chinese industrial programs or that the duties would cause “severe economic harm.” Trump has tweeted that companies won’t face a tariff if they make their goods “at home in the USA.”

Trump has encouraged Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook to move operations from China to the U.S., Larry Kudlow, Trump’s chief economic adviser, told reporters on Friday at the White House.

The new Mac Pro will be manufactured in China, a person familiar with the company’s plans said last month, shifting production of what had been Apple’s only major device assembled in the U.S. The previous design had been built in Texas since 2013. The new model was announced in June and will go on sale later this year, starting at $5999. Apple said last month that “final assembly is only one part of the manufacturing process.”

Apple is also seeking duty exclusions on its Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad, complementary devices for operating the computer, as well as an accompanying USB cable for charging external mobile devices.

Trump slapped tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods last year, launching a trade war over longstanding U.S. allegations of unfair economic practices, including the theft of American intellectual property.

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Process Mining For Dummies

Nov. 19, 2023
Here it is. Everything you need to know about process mining in a single book, written in the easy-to-understand, hard-to-forget style that ‘For Dummies’ manages so effortlessly...

You Cannot Stay Competitive by Bolting New Technologies to a Legacy ERP

Oct. 20, 2023
Read this white paper to understand the benefits of shifting to a next-generation ERP system as part of a DOP.

Beware Extreme Software

Sept. 24, 2023
As a manufacturer, you understand the importance of staying ahead of the curve and being proactive in your approach to technology. With the rapid pace of change in the industry...

Why DataOps may be the key to unlocking the full potential of digital transformation

Nov. 3, 2023
Read the 2023 market survey conducted by IndustryWeek

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!