HOUSTON (Diya TV) — Apple Inc. announced it will spend $500 billion in the United States over four years, an initiative that will generate 20,000 new jobs, mostly in research and development, in 20 states. The announcement came shortly after Apple CEO Tim Cook met with President Donald Trump, amid rising trade tensions and possible tariffs on Chinese imports.
The mainstay of Apple’s investment has been creating a factory in Houston, Texas, for producing the company’s servers for artificial intelligence. This would create thousands of local employment opportunities and add more domestic manufacturing capacities to Apple’s capabilities. In addition, Apple will create a manufacturing academy in Detroit, Michigan, to train small and mid-sized manufacturing companies, and will double its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to help advanced silicon production at TSMC’s Arizona facility.
President Trump applauded Apple’s move, implying it indicates the company’s interest in evading looming tariffs on Chinese-assembled products. “They don’t want to be in the tariffs,” Trump said after he met with Cook.
This investment is Apple’s biggest home commitment to date, following on from earlier commitments, such as a $350 billion package in 2018 and a $430 billion commitment during the Biden administration. While attempting to diversify its supply chain, Apple still heavily depends on Chinese manufacturing, so the threat of imposing tariffs is a serious issue for the tech giant.
Experts see this as a strategic move by Apple to offset risks related to uncertainties in global trade and enhance its manufacturing presence in the U.S. The plans of the company also include more spending with current U.S. suppliers and the creation of Apple TV+ content, again highlighting its determination to support the domestic economy.
