Trump's Tariff Gambit: U.S. Companies Targeted Amid Legal and Economic Turmoil
- Natalie Frank
- Jun 2
- 1 min read
President Trump's threats to impose tariffs on Apple and Mattel spark legal challenges and economic concerns, testing the limits of executive power in trade policy
Natalie C. Frank, Ph.D June 2, 2025
Recently, President Donald Trump has taken a more aggressive approach to tariffs by threatening two major American companies, Apple Inc. and Mattel Inc., with important import duties. These warnings aim to influence their decisions about where to manufacture, sparking legal debates and raising concerns about possible economic impacts.
Earlier this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed plans to move iPhone production for the U.S. market from China to India, hoping to diversify Apple's supply chain. However, this didn’t sit well with President Trump.
On Truth Social, Trump wrote: “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. If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S.”
Later, Trump clarified that these tariffs would be applied to all imported smartphones, including devices from competitors like Samsung, to ensure fairness.
