Trump believes the U.S. has the workforce and resources needed to build the smartphones domestically, Leavitt said at her press briefing. Leavitt's comments came after U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said earlier in the day that Trump would not provide exemptions to his tariffs for individual products or companies.

In the 2018 trade war between the U.S. and China, Trump had granted an exception to Apple for its iPhones, which are largely manufactured out of China.

Last week, Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives said the tariff uncertainty brought forth by President Trump “turns the supply Chain upside down” and could result in iPhones costing as much as $3,500 — a figure some have disputed — up from around $1,000.

“[The] concept of making iPhones in the US is a non-starter in our view at $1,000,” Ives wrote. “Price points would move up so dramatically it's hard to comprehend, and the near-term margin impact on Apple's gross margins during this tariff war could be mind-boggling for this US tech stalwart.”

Despite efforts to diversify its supply chain geographically, Apple still relies on China for a significant portion of its manufacturing needs, specifically iPhones. Investment firm Needham recently estimated that Apple's fiscal 2025 earnings could be negatively impacted by 28% or more in a trade war between China and the U.S. unless it was given an exemption.

Aside from China, Apple and its partners manufacture iPhones, AirPods, Apple Watches, Macs and iPads in several countries, including India, Vietnam and Brazil. All of these countries have also been hit with tariffs by President Trump.

Last week, China unveiled a 34% tariff on certain U.S. goods in response to President Trump's announcement that all goods emanating from China (and every other country) would be hit with a tariff amid his concerns about trade deficits. The situation has devolved into a war of words, as Trump said the U.S. would impose additional tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th, if its 34% levy was not withdrawn. China subsequently said it will “fight to the end” after Trump threatened an additional tariff.

The Times of India reported that Apple sent five airplanes worth of iPhones from India to the U.S. last week to avoid the 10% tariff charges placed on India. The Wall Street Journal subsequently reported that Apple would seek to move more of its iPhone production to India. This highlights the extreme steps companies are taking in light of Trump's tariff announcement.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5707563&forum_id=2Elisa#48828325)