Apple CEO Tim Cook and President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a commitment by the tech company to increase its investment in US manufacturing by an additional USD 100 billion over the next four years. However, that was not it. The tech executive also brought a gift for the president.
Cook presented Trump with an engraved piece of glass from Apple, custom-engraved for the president, that was sitting on a golden holder. The CEO placed his gift on the Resolute Desk and revealed that it was designed by a former US Marine Corporal who now works at Apple.
“He designed it for you,” Tim Cook said. “The base comes from Utah, and it's 24K gold.”
Social media users speculated that the glass piece would have costed ‘easily $2000’. However, the exact figures are not available at the moment.
{{/usCountry}}Social media users speculated that the glass piece would have costed ‘easily $2000’. However, the exact figures are not available at the moment.
{{/usCountry}}Reacting to Cook's gesture, one social media user wrote: “🚨 WOW! Apple CEO Tim Cook just presented President Trump with an engraved piece of glass from Apple - custom-engraved for Trump - and it is sitting on a golden holder, on the Resolute Desk.”
“Tim Cook of Apple bends the knee to Trump. Another elite showing their true cowardice,” another person slammed the exec on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
Apple's 100 Billion US Investment
As part of what it calls the American Manufacturing Program, or AMP, Apple promised to bring more of its supply chain and advanced production to the US. The company’s AMP partners include glassmaker Corning Inc., Applied Materials Inc., Texas Instruments Inc. and others, the company said.
Corning will dedicate an entire factory in Kentucky to Apple glass production, increasing that company’s workforce in the state by 50%, the iPhone maker said.
Corning was already a supplier to Apple, making glass for the very first iPhone at the same factory.
“President Trump’s America First economic agenda has secured trillions of dollars in investments that support American jobs and bolster American businesses,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement.
“Today’s announcement with Apple is another win for our manufacturing industry that will simultaneously help reshore the production of critical components to protect America’s economic and national security.”
(With inputs from Bloomberg)