The Trump administration’s tariff policy has put Apple at a competitive disadvantage, one that some analysts are calling fundamentally unfair and "un-American."
Financial analyst Spencer Hakimian says the iPhone maker is being penalized under the current tariff structure while rival Samsung enjoys a far lighter burden.
If Apple manufactures an iPhone in India for sale in the U.S., it faces a 25% tariff. Samsung, by contrast, pays just 10% for devices made in South Korea, Hakimian noted.
He called the 15-point gap a “fundamentally un-American” policy that favors foreign competition over a U.S.-based tech giant.
Just so I'm fully understanding.
undefined Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) May 23, 2025
If Apple makes an iPhone in India to sell in New York, it gets a 25% penalty charged.
But if Samsung makes a Galaxy in South Korea to sell in New York, it gets a 10% penalty charged?
So we're giving a 15% price advantage to foreign companies?…
Apple has long been caught in the crosshairs of Trump’s trade war.
Escalating tariffs on Chinese imports forced the company to shift more production to India in recent years. Despite pledging $500 billion toward U.S. operations over the next four years, Apple still hasn’t earned Trump’s approval.
"I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump told reporters at the White House, referencing a recent call with Apple’s CEO. "He is building all over India. I don't want you building in India."
Samsung’s home base of South Korea hasn’t escaped scrutiny, but its exports face just a 10% tariff, far below the 26% now imposed on India and the 30%+ rates on Chinese goods.
The U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule continues to shift as trade deals evolve, but markets are already bracing for more volatility.
Trump escalates again
Shortly after Hakimian highlighted Apple’s tariff disadvantage, Trump moved to close the loophole, announcing that Samsung could also face higher duties unless it boosts U.S.-based production.
“It would be more than just Apple,” Trump said Friday. “It would also include Samsung and anybody that makes that product—otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair.”
The new threat shattered the brief calm on Wall Street following the U.S.-China tariff truce earlier this month.
The stock market dropped like a rock to close the week. Apple slid 3%, while the Dow fell 256 points, or 0.6%, to 41,603. The S&P 500 lost 0.7%, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 1% to 18,738.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are markedmarked