Trump Administration Criticizes Apple's Dependence on China Again

The Donald Trump administration has once again criticized Apple for its reliance on manufacturing in China. Pressure on the company has intensified after senior trade advisor Peter Navarro publicly condemned CEO Tim Cook for failing to move iPhone production to the United States. In an interview with CNBC on the "Squawk on the Street" program, Navarro harshly criticized Apple's global manufacturing strategy, emphasizing its excessive dependence on China. He accused Tim Cook of delaying efforts to relocate production and noted that the company is asking for more and more time to implement these plans. According to him, this is the slowest operation in the history of the tech sector, and he does not understand why Apple cannot manufacture its iPhones in other countries.

Many analysts and economists have warned that bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. faces serious logistical, economic, and labor hurdles. Currently, Apple sources thousands of components from over 40 countries. Navarro's comments came amid the Trump administration's preparations to impose new tariffs following the end of a 90-day pause that was implemented in April 2025. During this time, the administration has been trying to finalize updated trade agreements with key manufacturing countries. This week, these efforts have already yielded partial agreements with some countries, while others will face new tariffs ranging from 10% to 40% on exports to the U.S.