Apple CEO Tim Cook has once again managed to shield the company’s flagship products from steep U.S. tariffs, thanks to his ongoing relationship with President Donald Trump.
After Trump announced a 145% tariff on goods imported from China, Cook began working behind the scenes to secure exemptions for Apple devices assembled overseas. The strategy worked. The White House excluded the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac from the latest round of tariffs.
While the move gives Apple short-term relief, Cook knows it may not last. As we reported earlier, Apple iPhones Might Still Get Expensive as Trump Says Exemptions are Temporary. Trump has already signaled that the break could be temporary.
According to The Washington Post, Cook personally contacted Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to warn about the impact on iPhone prices. He also reached out to senior White House officials.
He avoided public criticism of Trump’s policies, choosing instead to negotiate privately. That approach, consistent with his previous dealings with the administration, appears to have paid off once again.
The White House confirmed Cook’s involvement. Just days after the exemption, Trump said he had “helped Tim Cook recently,” acknowledging that the Apple CEO played a key role in the decision.
During Trump’s first term, Cook used similar tactics to protect Apple from tariffs, framing the issue as a competitive threat from Samsung. That logic worked then, and it seems to have worked again.
Exemption Uncertain Amid Policy Shifts
However, the exemption’s future is uncertain. Trump has since backtracked, insisting “no one’s getting off the hook.” He also hinted that Apple and other tech firms could face scrutiny under upcoming national security tariff investigations targeting semiconductors and the broader electronics supply chain.
Cook’s influence comes not just from Apple’s scale, but also his strategic silence and careful diplomacy. Former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross described Cook as “not a crybaby,” noting that his measured tone and economic arguments gained traction where public outrage failed.
Cook Sets the Tone for Tech CEOs
That approach has drawn attention across Silicon Valley. According to The Washington Post, CEOs from Google and Nvidia have taken pages from Cook’s playbook—scheduling meetings with Trump and avoiding public friction in hopes of softening the administration’s stance on China.
Though the White House denies playing favorites, the carveouts so far clearly benefit Apple more than any other firm. According to Lori Wallach of the American Economic Liberties Project, seven of the new tariff lines added after April 2 directly cover products manufactured by Apple.
Still, the administration insists the exemptions are part of a broader, strategic approach. White House spokesman Kush Desai said there were no company-specific exemptions, calling the tariff framework “nuanced.”
Limited U.S. Manufacturing Won’t Solve Apple’s Dilemma
Apple has made efforts to localize some production, pledging $500 billion in U.S. investments. It recently announced plans to manufacture private cloud servers in Texas. But large-scale assembly of iPhones in the U.S. remains unrealistic due to high costs and limited labor supply.
Source: The Mac Observer / Digpu NewsTex