President Donald Trump invited Apple CEO Tim Cook to the White House on Wednesday to announce Apple’s new investment of an additional $100 billion in domestic manufacturing. It’s part of a new program designed to bring more of Apple’s supply chain to American shores.
Apple invests more in U.S. manufacturing with pledge to spend another $100 billion
The beefed-up investment is Apple’s latest effort to expand U.S. production of its products while potentially avoiding punitive tariffs on its iPhone lineup. The new manufacturing initiative will focus on producing critical components domestically. The hope is that it will strengthen America’s technological infrastructure and reduce reliance on overseas suppliers.
During a press conference in the Oval Office, Cook outlined Apple’s ongoing efforts to bring manufacturing back to the United States.
“We’re going to keep hiring in America, and we’re going to keep building technologies at the heart of our products right here in America,” Cook said. “Because we’re a proud American company, and we believe deeply in the promise of this great nation.”
Apple’s growing U.S. commitment reaches $600 billion
This latest pledge brings Apple’s total U.S. investment commitment to $600 billion over the next four years. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to spend $500 billion domestically. That included developing a new server manufacturing facility in Houston, establishing a supplier academy in Michigan, and increasing spending with existing American suppliers.
“President Trump’s America First economic agenda has secured trillions of dollars in investments that support American jobs and bolster American businesses,” said White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers. “Today’s announcement with Apple is another win for our manufacturing industry that will simultaneously help reshore the production of critical components to protect America’s economic and national security.”
Tariff pressures drive manufacturing decisions
The announcement comes against the backdrop of escalating trade tensions and tariff threats. Earlier this year, Trump warned Apple that it would face tariffs of at least 25% if it didn’t relocate iPhone manufacturing to the United States. This ultimatum came shortly after Tim Cook met with Trump at the White House earlier in the year. Cook advocated for exemptions for Apple’s iPhone product line.
Currently, Apple primarily manufactures iPhones in China and India. That makes the company vulnerable to Trump’s broader tariff policies.
On Wednesday, Apple announced a $2.5 billion commitment to its longstanding partner Corning to produce 100% of all cover glass on iPhones and Apple Watches sold around the world at a cutting-edge plant in Kentucky.
During the same meeting, Trump said he plans to put a 100% tariff on computer chips made outside the United States, which likely would jack up the cost of everything from consumer electronics and appliances to cars and other modern necessities.
“We’ll be putting a tariff on approximately 100% on chips and semiconductors,” Trump said from the Oval Office with Cook at his side. “But if you’re building in the United States of America, there’s no charge.”
Other, country-specific tariffs on dozens of U.S. trading partners are set to take effect Thursday.
Apple may still seek exemptions
During Trump’s first presidential term, Apple successfully secured tariff exemptions for its products. If Cook can achieve similar carve-outs this time, it could help Apple avoid tariff costs. Analysts predict those costs would erode profit margins and increase prices for consumers. Such exemptions might even provide Apple with a competitive advantage over foreign rivals like Samsung Electronics.
Apple’s manufacturing investment represents part of a broader pattern of corporate commitments during Trump’s second term. Highlighting the administration’s focus on reshoring manufacturing jobs, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett described company pledges as “trillions and trillions of dollars of commitments for people to build new factories here.”
Apple did not responded to requests for comment about the specific details of the new manufacturing program or its timeline.
Lewis Wallace contributed to this report. We originally published this post at 7:02 a.m. on August 6. We updated it with Tim Cook’s confirmation of the investment in U.S. manufacturing.
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
