Donald J. Trump recently unveiled that he received a call from Apple's top executive, its CEO Tim Cook, and told him about the current problems the Cupertino tech giant is facing in the European Union. It was later divulged by Trump that during the conversation, Cook revealed that Apple is currently facing a $17 billion fine in the European region because of the different scrutinies against them.
Apple is now reportedly facing these fines where the company is set to pay a massive amount for their Digital Markets Act (DMA) compliance, but reports revealed that this is not yet the end of it for the company.
Donald Trump Revealed Apple is Now Facing $17b EU Fines
The latest episode of Patrick Bet-David's PBD Podcast on YouTube featured the Republican Presidential aspirant, Donald J. Trump, where the pair talked about several political issues and other current events. However, there came a point where Trump was asked about the economy, to which he unveiled that he recently received word from Apple's CEO that they are facing a $15 billion fine in the EU.
It was revealed by Tim Cook that Apple faces another $15 billion fine to the the region, and according to 9to5Mac, this was the recent ruling by Ireland in a tax case against Cupertino where it was asked to settle a €13 billion fee.
On top of that, Apple is already facing an EU fine regarding its anti-competitive music streaming platform, Apple Music, with the Commission giving it a smaller penalty of $2 billion, with both totaling $17-18 billion said Trump.
Tim Cook Called Up Trump About Apple's Fines
According to 9to5Mac, this call made by Cook to the Republican presidential nominee was a way for the Apple CEO to 'maintain' their relationship with politicians and people with power. It was speculated by the recent report that Cook may have also called Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, and raised this issue as well.
Trump revealed that he later said to Cook that he would not let them (the EU) take advantage of our (the United States) companies should he be elected.
Apple's Current Scrutinies in the EU
Apple was among the top companies significantly affected by the European Union when they passed their legislation known as the Digital Markets Act (DMA), focusing on removing anti-competitive behavior and giving their citizens fair access to technology. Earlier this year, the DMA began its enforcement in the region where it designated Apple as a 'gatekeeper' and asked for significant changes in the App Store, iOS, and more.
The Cupertino company rolled out several changes in its ecosystem including allowing third-party payment options, app marketplaces, and sideloading for iOS, notoriously known for being dominated by the App Store. Despite this, Big Tech rivals still accuse Apple of not following the DMA, but the company defended its side, claiming that it fully complied with the EU's regulations, especially for a gatekeeper like them.
However, the Commission and the other companies still think that Apple's efforts are not yet enough, and the complaints keep on coming against the company for their technology's operations in the region. Apple is already facing a $2 billion fine for their music streaming platform's anti-competitive behavior which breached the antitrust laws, but Apple has recently revealed that it faces another hefty fine, now totaling $17 billion.
