President Donald Trump said in a social media post today that Apple should manufacture iPhones sold in the United States within the country, rather than in India or other nations, and called for a 25% tariff if the company does not comply.
Trump posted on his platform Truth Social that he had “long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple” of his expectation that the company’s products be made domestically. “If that is not the case,” he wrote, “a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S.”
The comments come as Apple increases iPhone production in India, where it recently shipped around 600 tons of devices worth $2 billion to the U.S. in March, according to a source familiar with the matter. The shipments marked a record for Apple’s India-based contractors Tata and Foxconn, with Foxconn alone responsible for $1.3 billion worth of smartphones.
Apple’s expansion in India has been driven in part by efforts to diversify its manufacturing base and reduce reliance on China, particularly amid trade tensions and existing tariffs. Trump’s statement today suggests a hardening stance on global supply chains and signals that trade policy could again become a central focus of his administration.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has positioned India as a global smartphone manufacturing hub, challenges remain. Import duties on mobile phone components in India are significantly higher than in many other countries, making it more expensive for companies to produce there. For Apple, the cost of manufacturing iPhones in India is roughly 5% to 8% higher than in China, and in some cases, the difference can be as much as 10%, according to the source.
Despite the higher costs, Apple has ramped up production in India to limit exposure to U.S. tariffs. This shift has allowed the company to maintain steady shipments to its largest market while managing growing geopolitical and economic pressures.
Apple, which designs its products in the United States and assembles them through global contractors, has not publicly responded to Trump’s comments. The company’s headquarters are in Cupertino, California, and it has increasingly invested in India as part of a broader supply chain strategy.
Trump’s post did not clarify whether the proposed tariff would be implemented immediately or whether it is part of a larger policy initiative. As president, he has the authority to set trade policy, and his comments suggest further action could follow.