US President Donald Trump’s trade advisor, Peter Navarro, has criticized Apple CEO Tim Cook for relying heavily on China for iPhone production, calling it “the longest-running soap opera in Silicon Valley.” This criticism comes as the Trump administration pressures Apple to bring back manufacturing to the US.
Navarro stated that he finds it hard to understand why Apple hasn’t shifted its manufacturing to the US despite having access to advanced technologies like AI. He argued that with the advancements in manufacturing techniques, it’s “inconceivable” for Apple not to produce iPhones elsewhere, including the US.
President Trump has demanded that Apple manufacture all iPhones sold in the US within the country, threatening a 25% tariff on devices made abroad. Despite this, Apple still assembles most of its iPhones in China and has shifted production to India to diversify supply chains and reduce costs associated with tariffs.
However, experts argue that fully relocating iPhone production to the US would be logistically and economically impractical due to high labor costs. The estimated cost of a domestically manufactured iPhone could range from $3,500.
In contrast, China’s manufacturing ecosystem provides Apple with a vast workforce, technical talent, and established infrastructure at lower costs than in the US. This has made it difficult for Apple to abandon its current production strategy despite the Trump administration’s pressure.
Source: https://nypost.com/2025/07/07/business/trump-advisor-peter-navarro-blasts-tim-cook-for-making-iphones-in-china