- President Trump has threatened Apple with a 25% tariff as it doesn't make its devices in the US
- This could see a price increase for iPhones, iPads, Macs and more
- Trump proposes a 50% tariff on goods from the European Union, which could have a knock-on effect on product prices too
US President Donald Trump has said he's "recommending" a 50% tariff on the European Union starting June 1. And these tariffs could hit Apple, as it doesn't manufacture its iPhones and other devices in the US.
"I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhone’s that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else," Trump posted on his social media site Truth. "If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S. Thank your for your attention to this matter!"
If such a tariff comes to fruition, the cost of iPhones could increase to compensate for the increased tariffs.
Even if Apple were to shift its manufacturing of iPhones wholesale to the US, that would very likely represent a huge initial cost of setup, as well as a long lead time and ongoing labor expenses. So, that could also see Apple need to increase the price of its products, both existing and likely upcoming.
The next big Apple product launches are likely to be the iPhone 17 and the so-called iPhone 17 Air. If the Trump administration pursues these tariffs, then both phones could have a launch price that'll sting even the most dedicated iPhone fans.
We've approached Apple for comment but have yet to hear back from the company.
Turbulent tariffs
While the Trump administration pulled back from some of its most aggressive proposed tariffs, which were paused for 90 from the start of April, given the huge market upheaval they caused; one notable example was US pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 being parsed as the Japanese gaming giant navigated protential prices changes in the face of importing its upcoming console to the States.
Reciprocal tariffs from nations affected by Trump's tariffs caused huge disruption in markets, and while things simmered down in the weeks after, there are still tariffs on the table that could make doing business with the US difficult for companies based in other nations.
The likes of Samsung have a big presence in the US, but the South Korean company manufactures its devices outside of America and Trump's traffics could make importing the likes of the Galaxy S25 and the likely upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 more expensive. A likely knock-on effect of that would be for Samsung to increase the prices of its devices, with the cost effectively being passed on to consumers.
With inflation causing the cost of all manner of products to increase, with Trump's tariffs we could see prices on tech rise. So my suggestions is to make use of the Memorial Day deals while you can still get devices for acceptable prices.
Of course, the fallout from this could be too hard to swallow so Trump might end up not seeing such threats through, especially against Apple as it's one of the US' trillion-dollar companies.
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