Trump calls Tim Cook after US-China tariff suspension

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Trump tour an assembly plant in Texas in 2019. Photo: Jay Janner/Zuma Press .

According to CNBC , US President Donald Trump said on May 12 that he had spoken with Apple CEO Tim Cook after Washington and Beijing agreed to suspend tariffs for 90 days.

“I spoke to Tim Cook this morning and he’s going to balance the numbers. $500 billion is a commitment and Apple is going to build a lot of plants in the United States. We look forward to that,” Trump said in the Oval Office.

Earlier in February, Apple announced it would spend $500 billion to expand many operations in the US, including assembling an artificial intelligence server in Houston.

According to WSJ , Apple was one of the tech companies hardest hit when US President Donald Trump announced tariffs in early April, largely because its production lines depend on China.

However, Tim Cook's skillful communication and good relationship with the Trump administration helped Apple avoid major damage.

Specifically, during an official meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, President Donald Trump confirmed that he had decided to temporarily exempt import taxes on many technology products such as phones, computers, and semiconductor components after a conversation with Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Later, at a public meeting between Mr. Trump and about 20 business leaders, Tim Cook praised the White House chief for his efforts to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States.

"I want to take a moment to acknowledge President Trump's focus on domestic semiconductor manufacturing. We will continue to work with the administration as we invest in these areas. Needless to say, Apple is excited about the future of American innovation and the incredible opportunities it will create. We are honored to play our part in this," Cook said via video call.

After apologizing for not being able to be there in person, the Apple CEO repeated his familiar remark about how "Apple can only be built in America."

“We are a uniquely American company and we care deeply about our impact on this country,” said the Apple CEO. Cook then cited examples of the company’s work in the US, starting with its clever reframing of projects into $500 billion in new investments.

Source: https://znews.vn/ong-trump-goi-cho-tim-cook-sau-khi-my-trung-quoc-dung-ap-thue-post1553064.html