Apple CEO Pledges Massive Investment as Trump Presidency Begins

On the day Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, many top leaders from the tech industry were present. Among them were well-known figures like Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai, and Elon Musk.

Apple CEO Tim Cook also attended the ceremony and was reported to have had a conversation with Trump the night before the inauguration. During a victory rally before the swearing-in, Trump suggested that Apple might make a significant investment in the U.S. as a result of his electoral success.

According to a report by the New York Post, Trump stated, "I spoke with Tim Cook of Apple. He said they're going to make a massive investment in the United States because of our big election win." However, details about what this investment entails remain unclear.

Before the election, it was believed that Cook had reached out to Trump, likely discussing issues related to the company's legal challenges in Europe. One notable case involved Apple losing a legal battle in the European Union, resulting in a hefty €13 billion (approximately A$21.55 billion) tax bill related to its operations in Ireland.

In addition to Apple's potential investment, it appears other tech companies are taking steps to align themselves with the new administration. For instance, Zuckerberg announced that Meta plans to scale back its fact-checking efforts and reduce censorship across its platforms, which include Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. This shift comes after Trump and other critics claimed that tech companies tend to censor conservative opinions.

Furthermore, companies like Meta and Amazon are reevaluating their diversity initiatives, especially in hiring and supplier selections, due to concerns about possible legal challenges to these policies. A memo released by Meta indicated that it is adapting to a “shifting legal and policy landscape” and emphasized that no form of discrimination based on inherent characteristics should be tolerated.

Apple, Investment, Trump