Tim Cook and Donald Trump at Mac Pro factory
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After a whirlwind tour of Europe and the UK, Apple CEO Tim Cook will reportedly meet President-elect Donald Trump for dinner on Friday night.
The conversation between Cook and Trump, expected to take place on the terrace of Mar A Lago, is likely to be a follow-up to a conversation Trump says he had with Cook. During the campaign, Trump says Cook complained to him about the European Union, particularly $15 billion that was placed in an escrow account to handle Irish tax issues.
Trump appears to have done nothing about the fine during his time in office. The funds to pay the fine were placed in an escrow account in 2018, and there have been no recorded statements from him on the matter since.
Also likely to be discussed are Trump's proposed tariffs on goods imported from China. The tariffs are said to significantly increase the prices of consumer goods, with laptops and tablets costing 46% more than current prices. Gaming consoles could increase in price by 40%, and smartphones like the iPhone are expected to cost 26% more for consumers.
Apple has not confirmed the dinner noted in Friday night's report. Trump has not said anything about it on social media to date.
A visit to Mar-a-Lago could cap Cook's trip. While in the UK on Wednesday, Cook shared a video of King Charles III visiting the Apple Battersea power plant office in London.
The visit was partly to celebrate Apple's work with The King's Trust, an organisation that helps young people in the UK develop their skills to enter the workforce or start businesses.
“We were honoured to welcome His Majesty King Charles to Apple Battersea – our home in the UK – and proud to support The King's Trust in its important work educating and empowering young people,” Cook said. “We look forward to our continued growth here, building on our 40-plus year history in the UK.”
Other tech executives are expected to meet with Trump soon or have already. Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Google's Sundar Pichai have already met with the president-elect. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is expected to meet with Trump during the week of December 16.
Tim Cook and Donald Trump
After publicly congratulating him on winning a second term, the dinner is likely to be Cook's second attempt to revive his working relationship with Trump. During Trump's first administration, Cook was known for his closeness to the president, to a greater extent than other business leaders.
During his term, Trump praised Cook for his communication skills, calling him a “great leader” for repeatedly reaching out directly to Trump on important issues.
While others have used consultants, Trump has been impressed by Cook's personal approach.
The infamous US-China trade war has been potentially damaging to Apple this year, but Cook led the effort to try to persuade Trump not to impose tariffs on its products. His influence certainly helped delay the tariffs, and did so across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac products when Trump signed a limited trade deal.
Outside of the trade war, Cook has visited the White House several times and discussed a wide range of topics with the world leader. Even a gaffe when Trump called him “Tim Apple” was taken in stride.
Cook’s ties to US leadership have continued post-Trump. During Joe Biden’s presidency, Cook, his executives, and lobbyists have visited the White House at least 87 times as of March 2024, with Cook present 11 times.
As for Trump's return, it appears Cook may have begun laying the groundwork for the next four years earlier in 2024. Cook is believed to have left WWDC early to meet with Trump, along with 80 other CEOs, in preparation for implementing potential business-related policies if he wins.
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