President Donald Trump revealed that Apple CEO Tim Cook has committed to building three big manufacturing plants in the United States.
The move by Apple, which will help fulfill the Trump administration's goal of bringing life back to the U.S. manufacturing industry, is a surprising one, especially as the company and Cook have openly criticized Trump's immigration policies.
Apple To Build 'Three Big Plants' In The US
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, President Trump revealed Cook's promise that Apple will build "three big plants, beautiful plants" in the United States.
However, there were no further details revealed regarding the plans for Apple's plants, including their location and the time frame for their construction.
If Trump's statement is correct and Apple pushes through with its commitment, it will be a big investment for the company. Apple currently only manufactures the Mac Pro computers in the United States, as the company has preferred to work with foreign suppliers to protect itself from the risks of manufacturing its own products, while having the leverage to demand lower prices from several partners.
In May, Cook said in an interview with CNBC that it will invest $1 billion to create manufacturing jobs in the United States. It appears that the advanced manufacturing fund will look to take advantage of Trump's promise made in November last year that Apple will receive incentives if it moves the manufacturing process of the company's products such as iPhones and iPads into the United States.
Apple Plants In US: A Possible Misunderstanding?
Given Apple's strong partnership with its overseas suppliers and the fact that the company's representatives have not provided clarification on Trump's statements, there is a definite possibility that the plan to build three Apple manufacturing plants in the United States is a misunderstanding.
Cook may have said that Apple's suppliers, not Apple itself, will build plants in the United States, perhaps supported by the company's advanced manufacturing fund. Apple recently made an investment of $200 million to support the Kentucky factory of Corning, a cover glass supplier for iPhones, and major iPhone supplier Foxconn previously revealed plans of establishing its first factory in the United States.
Whether or not the manufacturing plants will be owned by Apple or its suppliers, Trump will likely see it as a success for his administration. Trump previously criticized the fact that Apple has outsourced most of its manufacturing processes, and it seems that Apple has made moves to bring manufacturing jobs back home.
