Apple Receives Special Tariff Exemptions After CEO Cultivates Trump Relationship
Cook’s ‘charm offensive’ through multiple dinners and meetings with Trump 2018-2019 secured Apple exemptions from China tariffs on iPhones and core products. Cook dined at Trump Tower, Bedminster golf course, attended White House state dinner, gave Trump Mac Pro plant tour. Apple avoided $200B tariff list initially including their products. USTR granted Apple 10 of 15 Mac Pro component exemptions.
Key Actors
Sources (4)
- How To Avoid Paying Tariffs? Have a Friend in Washington (2024-10-25)
- How Apple's Tim Cook navigated out of Trump's tariffs on China (2025-04-17)
- Trump's tariffs won't bite Apple, illustrating Tim Cook's political sway (2018-09-18)
- How Apple CEO Tim Cook Convinced Trump to Exempt Apple From Tariffs (2025-04-17)
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