California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta is preparing to defend Apple in response to Trump’s iPhone tariff threat. President Donald Trump recently announced plans to impose a 25% or higher tariff on iPhones not assembled in the United States.
This move targets Apple’s global supply chain, which heavily relies on overseas manufacturing.
AG Bonta emphasized the importance of protecting California’s largest tech company. He told Politico that Apple contributes significantly to California’s economy, which ranks as the world’s fourth largest.
He expressed frustration over having to defend a U.S. company from the president himself. Bonta said, “We want to protect our California companies’ rights, especially from the president of the United States.”
Trump insists Apple must manufacture iPhones in the U.S., a demand that could increase the cost of each phone dramatically. Experts warn that creating a domestic supply chain would drive prices up sharply. Dan Ives, a technology analyst at Wedbush Securities, predicts that a U.S.-made iPhone could cost as much as $3,500.
Additionally, Apple faces challenges finding U.S. workers willing to accept the wages that Chinese assembly line employees currently receive. Establishing the complex supply chain required for iPhone production in America would prove difficult and expensive.
Before deciding to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration, AG Bonta plans to review the president’s tariff policies carefully. He wants to ensure that California businesses are not unfairly targeted. In response to concerns, Trump later expanded his tariff threat to include other manufacturers such as Samsung.
Apple has not publicly responded to Trump’s statement on his social media platform, Truth Social. Trump told Apple CEO Tim Cook that iPhones sold in the U.S. must be made domestically, “not in India or anyplace else.”
If Trump’s iPhone tariff threat moves forward, consumers could face significantly higher prices. AG Bonta’s potential legal action highlights the tension between protecting California’s economy and the president’s push for American manufacturing.
In summary, California’s Attorney General is gearing up to challenge Trump’s iPhone tariff threat. This situation underscores the broader conflict over globalization, manufacturing, and economic protectionism in the U.S.
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