U.S. President Donald Trump has once again ramped up the pressure on Apple, urging the tech giant to shift iPhone production to American soil. He warned that failure to do so could result in the company facing substantial import tariffs on devices sold within the United States. This renewed stance is part of his broader push to bring more manufacturing back to the country.
In a post on Truth Social Friday, Trump declared, “I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhones that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or any place else. If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S.”
Dan Ives, who leads global tech research at Wedbush Securities, predicts that with tariffs factored in, iPhones could cost buyers around $2,300 — a steep jump from the current $1,199 price of Apple’s latest model. However, he notes that the price would be even higher, potentially reaching $3,500, if the devices were manufactured entirely in the United States.
Drew DeLong, head of the Geopolitical Dynamics Practice at global consulting firm Kearney, believes a post-tariff price hike of $100 to $200 is a more likely scenario. According to DeLong, if he were in Apple’s position, the threat of retaliatory tariffs wouldn’t be a major worry, especially since the company has reportedly been granted significant exemptions. Instead, he emphasized that Apple’s bigger concern would likely be the ongoing U.S. probe into foreign-made semiconductors — a critical component for iPhone production, as much of it is sourced internationally.
Should Apple choose to relocate its manufacturing operations to the United States, Drew DeLong noted the company would need to weigh factors like energy expenses and the availability of a qualified labor force. He also pointed out that possible tax incentives and regulatory rollbacks could play a significant role in shaping Apple’s profit margins in the coming years under such a shift.
During Apple’s quarterly earnings call on May 1, CEO Tim Cook shared the company’s strategy for handling the unpredictable tariff situation. He stated that Apple intends to increase the supply of India-manufactured iPhones to U.S. consumers as a key part of their approach.
“For the June quarter, we do expect the majority of iPhones sold in the US will have India as their country of origin, and Vietnam to be the country of origin for almost all iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and AirPods products also sold in the US,” Cook said. “China would continue to be the country of origin for the vast majority of total product sales outside the US.”
