Report suggests the US gov may have ‘urged’ Apple into Intel chipmaking deal to avoid tariffs, at almost the same time it took a $9 billion stake in blue team stock
Apple CEO Tim Cook visited the White House last summer seeking exemptions from proposed tariffs on semiconductor imports. According to The Wall Street Journal, the US government granted Apple a tariff exemption in exchange for a $100 billion commitment to domestic manufacturing expansion. During negotiations, President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick allegedly encouraged Cook to leverage Intel’s manufacturing facilities for chip production. The timing raised questions when the US government subsequently invested $9 billion in semiconductor industry holdings, prompting speculation about coordinated industrial policy.