Apple faces Trump’s ire after company says its products would be hurt by tariffs -- The Washington Post

Also see The global smartphone supply chain needs an upgrade (The Economist), which notes: "Choking the smartphone complex would be madness: consumers would be upset, millions of jobs would be at risk in Asia, and stockmarkets in America and East Asia would suffer."

"The tariffs are top of mind for Apple chief executive Tim Cook, who has personally lobbied Trump for months on issues of taxes and trade, even dining with the president and first lady Melania Trump at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., last month. Cook's personal diplomacy stands in stark contrast to some of his peers in the tech industry, who haven't engaged Trump directly — and often are on the receiving end of far more aggressive tweets attacking their business practices.

Apple, like other tech giants, has benefited from the last year's overhaul to the U.S. tax code, and the company has committed to returning much of the $252 billion in cash it held abroad. In January, the company also announced its “direct contribution” to the U.S. economy through investments and other spending would exceed $350 billion over the next five years, while it would establish a new Apple campus to house technical support for customers. Some components for Apple products, including glass from manufacturers like Corning, are made in the United States, the company has said."

Apple faces Trump’s ire after company says its products would be hurt by tariffs -- The Washington Post