Trump Orders Apple To Build IPhones In USA Or Face 25% Tariff, Targets Harvard Over Foreign Students

Trump Reaffirms Push for U.S. Manufacturing, Targets Apple and Harvard in Executive Orders

Washington D.C., May 24 – U.S. President Donald Trump has reinforced his long-standing demand for American companies to manufacture their products domestically, specifically calling on Apple and other tech giants to shift their production operations to the United States. The comments came during a press conference following the signing of several major executive orders aimed at boosting energy, science, and national manufacturing.

Speaking on Friday, Trump declared that if Apple and similar tech companies want to continue selling products such as the iPhone in the American market, those products must be made within U.S. borders. Otherwise, he warned, they would face import tariffs of no less than 25 percent.

“I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhones sold in the United States to be manufactured and built in the United States—not in India or anyplace else,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. “If that is not the case, a tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S.”

The President noted that this directive wouldn’t single out Apple. It would apply uniformly to all smartphone manufacturers, including competitors like Samsung, in an effort to ensure fairness. “It would be more, it would also be Samsung and anybody that makes that product, otherwise it wouldn’t be fair,” Trump said. “When they build their plant here, there’s no tariff.”

Trump insisted that domestic production would not necessarily translate to higher prices for American consumers, citing advancements in automation and modern manufacturing processes. “A lot of it’s so computerized now. These plants are amazing if you look at them,” he said. “They’re able to do that.”

According to Trump, Apple and major chipmakers are already investing hundreds of billions of dollars in the United States, signaling that there is capacity and momentum to support a full-scale shift in production. “Apple’s coming in with $500 billion. So are the chip companies—$500 billion, $200 billion, $250 billion—they’re spending,” he said.

The remarks come amid broader executive actions taken by the Trump administration aimed at reinforcing American industry and energy independence. On Friday, the President signed a suite of executive orders designed to promote nuclear energy development in the U.S. These measures are part of what the White House described as a strategy to “secure the energy future of America and unleash American energy dominance.”

Another executive order signed on the same day aims to implement what the administration is calling “Gold Standard Science,” a framework designed to restore public trust in the U.S. science system. The move is part of an effort to depoliticize scientific institutions and bolster national confidence in scientific research and policy.

In a separate and equally controversial move, Trump announced his administration’s decision to block Harvard University from enrolling international students. He accused the prestigious institution of fostering anti-American and anti-Semitic sentiments and failing to properly manage its massive $52 billion endowment.

“Billions of dollars have been paid to Harvard. How ridiculous is that?” Trump said. “And they have $52 billion as an endowment. Harvard’s going to have to change its ways.”

The White House accused the university of being a hub for “pro-terrorist agitators” and criticized what it described as “racist ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ practices.” The administration has demanded reforms in Harvard’s programming, staffing, and administration to combat what it calls a rise in campus antisemitism, particularly following protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

“Enrolling foreign students is a privilege, not a right,” the White House said in a statement, highlighting its intent to overhaul how educational institutions manage international admissions and on-campus political activities.

These bold moves collectively reflect Trump’s renewed efforts to promote American self-reliance, economic protectionism, and cultural conservatism ahead of the upcoming election season.

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