Apple is urging the Trump administration to rethink the next set of proposed Chinese tariffs.
In a letter released Thursday, the tech giant said all of its major products — including iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and AppleTV — would be affected by the proposal. They claim the tariffs would reduce the company’s global competitiveness.
“The Chinese producers we compete with in global markets do not have a significant presence in the U.S. market, and so would not be affected by U.S. tariffs. Neither would our other major non-U.S. competitors,” Apple wrote. “A U.S. tariff would, therefore, tilt the playing field in favor of our global competitors.”
President Trump’s new proposal would place a 25% tariff on $300 billion in Chinese goods. The plan was released in early May and would be implemented alongside the current 25% tariff already placed on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports.
After the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, Apple promised to make “a total direct contribution to the U.S. economy of over $350 billion over 5 years.” While the company is on track to fulfill that obligation, they claim new tariffs would result in the reduction of that contribution.
“We urge you not to proceed with these tariffs,” the letter reads.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is known to have a close relationship with President Trump.
According to Politico, Cook made a quiet visit to the White House to discuss trade last week. The White House has not released any details on the meeting.
