Donald Trump has stated he would impose a 25% tariff on iPhones and other smartphones, including those from Samsung, if they are not manufactured in the United States. He indicated he had previously informed Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, of this expectation for iPhones sold domestically, as reported on the Guardian.

This announcement, made on Truth Social, caused Apple's shares to drop by 2.6%, reducing its valuation by approximately $70 billion.

Trump emphasized that if companies build their plants in the US, no tariffs would apply. This move follows previous tariff discussions concerning goods from China, where most iPhones are currently assembled.

Reports had suggested Apple was considering moving all US-market iPhone assembly to India to avoid impacts from trade tensions with China. Cook had also mentioned that a majority of iPhones sold in the US during the June quarter would originate from India.

Analysts caution that shifting iPhone production to the US would be significantly more expensive, potentially tripling the cost of an iPhone due to a lack of existing facilities and the flexible workforce available in China.

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