Apple Eyes US iPhone Production—PR Move for Trump?
In a recent CNBC interview, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick revealed Apple CEO Tim Cook’s strategy for bringing iPhone production closer to home. According to Lutnick, Cook emphasized that robotic automation—specifically the use of “robotic arms”—will be key to making domestic iPhone assembly a reality.
$500 Billion Investment Pledge
Apple’s renewed focus on US-based manufacturing is backed by its massive $500 billion investment pledge, which includes developing AI server infrastructure and building a new factory in Texas.
Tim Cook Eyes Automation to Cut Foreign Labor Dependence
Cook views the company’s current dependence on foreign labor as a major vulnerability. Future US factories, he says, will be driven by automation—rather than performing repetitive tasks like manual assembly.
Innovation or Political Strategy?
While it could be seen as a genuine move toward innovation and economic resilience, some analysts suggest it also aligns neatly with post-pandemic industrial policy efforts often associated with the Trump administration.