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Tim Cook gifts Trump a 24K gold statue as Apple commits $100 billion more to ‘Make in USA’ push
Amid renewed pressure from President Trump for domestic manufacturing, Apple unveils a symbolic gold-and-glass tribute and pledges a massive new investment to expand its U.S. production footprint.
The President has criticized Apple’s ongoing reliance on production hubs in China, Vietnam, and India, and has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on any Apple product not made on U.S. soil. (Image source: Moneycontrol)
Apple CEO Tim Cook has presented U.S. President Donald Trump with a one-of-a-kind 24-karat gold and glass statue, a symbolic gesture that underscores Apple’s deepening commitment to American manufacturing amid renewed White House pressure.
The gift comes as Apple announced an additional $100 billion investment to bolster its U.S. production capabilities.
The striking statue, crafted entirely in the U.S., reportedly features a gold base sourced from Utah and glass from Apple’s long-time supplier Corning. At its center is the Apple logo, surrounded by Trump’s name etched at the top and a signature resembling Cook’s at the base, alongside the inscription “Made in USA – 2025.”
Cook revealed that the design was created by a former U.S. Marine now working at Apple.
This dramatic gesture reflects Cook’s ongoing efforts to maintain a cooperative relationship with Trump, who has repeatedly urged tech giants to repatriate manufacturing jobs. With Trump now in his second term, CEOs across industries are closely watching Apple’s navigation of the administration’s hardline stance on domestic production.
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In addition to the statue, Apple announced a massive expansion of its U.S. manufacturing footprint. The new $100 billion commitment builds on its earlier pledge of $500 billion over four years. Under a new “American Manufacturing Program,” Apple aims to strengthen its domestic supply chain and invest in advanced production technologies.
As part of the plan:
- Apple will partner more deeply with Corning to manufacture all iPhone and Apple Watch cover glass in Kentucky.
- A new collaboration with Samsung at its Austin, Texas facility will introduce a breakthrough chip-making technology described by Apple as a global first.
- Apple’s server production hub in Houston will begin mass production in 2026.
- The company’s Maiden, North Carolina data center is being expanded to support growing infrastructure needs.
- A new manufacturing academy in Michigan will train U.S. businesses in cutting-edge production techniques.
The President has criticized Apple’s ongoing reliance on production hubs in China, Vietnam, and India, and has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on any Apple product not made on U.S. soil.
Apple’s symbolic tribute and manufacturing push appear to be strategic steps to ease political pressure while reinforcing its long-term vision for a more American-made supply chain.
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