Trump's iPhone tariff threat was allegedly a payback for Tim Cook skipping Middle East trip

Apple was still figuring out how to mitigate the potential losses from the ongoing trade war between the USA and China, sparked by President Trump's tariffs, by shifting its production from China to India. But this move did not sit well with Donald Trump. Just days ago, he threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Apple if iPhones for the U.S. aren't manufactured domestically.

Many believed the threat was tied to Apple's plan to build a $1.5 billion iPhone production plant in India. Android makers weren't spared either. President Trump warned that the same tariff could apply to Samsung and other Android OEMs if they don't produce smartphones for U.S. customers in America.

However, it now appears that the real reason behind President Trump's tariff threat may be more personal. According to The New York Times, the 25% tariff threat on Apple was Donald Trump's way of getting back at Tim Cook for skipping a recent Middle East trip.

Reportedly, several top U.S. CEOs, including NVIDIA's Jensen Huang to OpenAI’s Sam Altman, joined President Trump's delegation for a recent trip to the U.A.E., Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Apple CEO Tim Cook was invited and expected to attend, but he declined. That reportedly irked President Trump, who made his displeasure public during his trip.

For instance, in Riyadh, Trump praised Jensen Huang of NVIDIA for giving him company in the Middle East, but also took a jab at Cook: "I mean, Tim Cook isn’t here, but you are." Then, later in Qatar, President Trump said he "had a little problem with Tim Cook." Although he praised Apple's investments in the U.S., but also vented out his frustration by saying, "But now I hear you’re building all over India. I don’t want you building in India."

These comments suggest Donald Trump's threat was less about trade policy and more about sending a message. Nu Wexler, principal at Four Corners Public Affairs and a former Washington policy communications executive at Google and Facebook, said that Tim Cook’s public relationship with Mr. Trump, seen evidently before Trump took over the house, has backfired.

For now, the 25% tariff is still only a "threat" and there is no clarity if it will actually be passed.

Image by FoxysGraphic via Depositphotos