US President Donald Trump reignited trade tensions on Friday, threatening a 50% tariff on all goods sent to the United States from the European Union, BBC reported.
He also warned Apple that he would impose a 25% import tax “at least” on iPhones not manufactured in America, later widening the threat to any smartphone.
The warning against the EU came just hours before the two sides were set to have trade talks last month. Trump last month announced a 20% tariff on most EU goods, but had halved it to 10% until 8 July to allow time for negotiations.
In a statement after talks, the EU said it remained committed to securing a deal, while warning again that it was prepared to retaliate.
In remarks to reporters at the White House on Friday afternoon, Trump expressed impatience with the pace of the talks, saying his plan to raise tariffs on 1 June was set.
“I’m not looking for a deal – we’ve set the deal,” he added, before immediately adding that a big investment in the US by a European company might make hime open to a delay.
Engadget reported: President Donald Trump has escalated pressure on Apple to manufacture iPhones for the American market domestically.
In a post on Truth Social, Friday morning, the president explicitly warned that he would recommend a 25 percent tariff be applied to any iPhones sold in the United States that were manufactured outside the country.
“I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhone’s that will be sold in the United Stats of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else. If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S.,” the president wrote.
His reference to India was in response to continued reporting that Apple has been considering shifting all US-bound iPhone production to India in order to avoid trade instability with China brought on by tariffs.
Financial Times reported: Apple’s key contractor is moving ahead with a $1.5 billion component plant near Chennai, further expanding the iPhone-maker’s supply chain in India even as Donald Trump demands it return manufacturing to the US.
Foxconn, which has assembled Apple’s devices for years, is set to build a display module facility in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, two government officials told the Financial Times. The plant would help the Taiwanese company supply Apple, its main customer.
The move represents the US tech giant’s latest tilt toward India and away from China – which remains its biggest manufacturing base by far. The shift had already started before the Covid-19 pandemic, which then frayed industrial supply chains and prompted the US iPhone maker to diversify to other countries.
However, the pivot becomes politically contentious since the re-election of Trump, who has tangled with China over tariffs and is trying to push Apple to restore manufacturing to American