Senator Elizabeth Warren interviewed the CEO of Apple Inc. on Wednesday, Tim Cook, on his discussions with the Trump administration before the president’s retirement on prices covering crucial apple products built in China.
“The circumstances surrounding the exemptions from Apple raise new concerns concerning the influence of pedors by huge well -connected companies and their ability to acquire special favors of President Trump”, Warrenwritten in a letterto cook that was obtained by Bloomberg News.
In early April, President Donald Trump announced a series of prices on imported articles in China that could reach 145%. This would have either been considerably reduced the beneficiary margins of Apple on iPhones, which are mainly built in China, orPrice considerably increased. But a few weeks later, the administrationAnnounced sculpturesOn several types of electronics that have benefited the iPhone manufacturer.
Warren, a progressive democrat who was a noisy critic from Trump, cited the information that Apple CEO worked behind the scenes to influence Trump administration to reduce prices.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
For years, Cook has been congratulated by observers and industry investors for its ability to navigate the Trump administration and protect the interests of your business, including those related to prices. Trump’s commitment to bringing jobs to America and relocating manufacturing to the United States was particularly difficult for Apple, which was linked to China For years and produced the vast majority of its devices there.
“At best, your work to eliminate prices on Apple products and the subsequent decision of President Trump to exempt certain Apple products, creates the appearance of an irregularity,” wrote Warren. “However, recent reports also raise serious questions about the extent to which it is possible for the special interests of massive companies to use their money and their influence to guarantee tariff exemptions that are not available for small companies on the main street.”
In the letter, Warren asks Cook what was the nature of his discussions with Trump officials linked to the prices, when the discussions occurred and when Apple discovered the exemptions. It also mentions the appearance of Cook during the inauguration of Trump in January and a donation of $ 1 million when cooking the inaugural committee, two movements reflected by several other CEOs of technology.
The Massachusetts senator suggested that the treatment repeated a model model during Trump’s pricing campaigns in the first period.
“During his first mandate, Donald Trump’s pricing policy has become a food frenzy for major companies in order to obtain lucrative exemptions and special treatment,” wrote Warren. It has cited anterior price exclusions for iPhone, Apple Watch and Mac components.
While Apple no longer needs to prepare tariffs of 145% and to avoid an immediate crisis in its supply chain, the Trump administrationwarnedthat it will soon impose new prices on electronics, probably covering Apple products.
This story was initially presented on Fortune.com
