Tim Cook presents President Trump with 24K gold and glass statue, sparking controversy over perceived corruption.

Tim Cook, Apple CEO, surprised President Donald Trump with a personalized 24-karat gold and glass statue at a White House press event highlighting Apple's US manufacturing efforts. The engraved disc features Trump's name, a gold base from Utah, and Cook's signature, representing American-made innovation. The gesture is seen as a symbolic olive branch and a smart PR move to move more of Apple's production to the US.

Apple Inc. has significantly increased its U.S. investment commitment to $600 billion over the next four years, as announced by CEO Tim Cook. This substantial increase, which includes a new $100 billion commitment, underscores the company's ambitious plans to expand its manufacturing footprint across the United States [1].

The announcement, made during a press event at the White House, highlighted Apple's new American Manufacturing Program (AMP). This initiative aims to bring more of Apple's supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the U.S., while also incentivizing global companies to manufacture critical components in the country. Through AMP, Apple will increase its investment across America and directly hire 20,000 people, primarily focused on R&D, silicon engineering, software development, and AI and machine learning [1].

Apple's partnership with various suppliers and manufacturers is a key component of this strategy. The first AMP partners include Corning, Coherent, GlobalWafers America (GWA), Applied Materials, Texas Instruments (TI), Samsung, GlobalFoundries, Amkor, and Broadcom. These collaborations will help establish an end-to-end silicon supply chain in the U.S., capable of producing more than 19 billion chips for Apple products in 2025 [1].

Notably, Apple has also committed to buying American-made rare earth magnets from MP Materials, further strengthening its domestic manufacturing capabilities. This initiative is part of Apple's broader goal to lead the creation of a robust U.S. silicon supply chain, with partners in every key aspect of silicon production [1].

The announcement comes as Apple continues to expand its operations across the country. The company is investing in new facilities in various states, including Arizona, California, Iowa, Kentucky, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, and Utah. These investments are expected to support the growth of Apple's services, such as iCloud, the App Store, Apple Music, and iMessage, by expanding data center capacity [1].

In addition to its manufacturing efforts, Apple is also investing in education and workforce development. The Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit will offer consultations and courses to small and medium-sized businesses on how to implement advanced manufacturing and AI into their manufacturing programs [1].

Apple's increased commitment to U.S. manufacturing is seen as a strategic move to boost domestic job creation and innovation. The company's efforts are also expected to have a positive impact on the U.S. economy, by creating new jobs and stimulating growth in key sectors such as technology and manufacturing [1].

References:
[1] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/08/apple-increases-us-commitment-to-600-billion-usd-announces-ambitious-program/