Trump Trade Advisor Criticizes Apple Slow China Production Exit

The Trump administration, led by trade advisor Peter Navarro, is publicly pressuring Apple CEO Tim Cook to accelerate the relocation of iPhone production out of China and into the United States, criticizing what Navarro calls the "longest-running soap opera in Silicon Valley" due to Apple's slow progress. Navarro argues that with current advanced manufacturing technologies and AI, there is no excuse for Apple not to produce iPhones domestically or elsewhere outside China. Despite these demands, analysts emphasize the substantial challenges, including significantly higher labor costs, complex global supply chains sourcing from over 40 countries, and tariffs, which could increase iPhone production costs by over 90%. Apple has announced major U.S. investments, including a $500 billion plan over four years and some assembly in India and the U.S., but full reshoring of production is widely regarded as impractical and likely to take many years. The administration has also threatened tariffs on iPhones produced outside the U.S., including in India, which Apple has been using to partially offset costs associated with China tariffs. While the Trump administration insists reshoring would boost American jobs and economic security, experts caution that such a dramatic supply chain shift is complex, costly, and unlikely to happen quickly if at all.