Apple AAPL CEO Tim Cook earned the title of "tech’s Trump whisperer" in the president’s first term, and he just may have shown why.
Cook gifted President Donald Trump a glass plaque with a 24-karat gold base on Aug. 6. The move came as he announced at the White House that Apple would invest $100 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, adding to the $500 billion the company had announced in February.
The plaque was engraved with Trump’s name, a reference to Apple's U.S. manufacturing efforts, Cook’s signature and the phrase "MADE IN USA."
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"It’s a unique unit of one," Cook said. He pointed out that the glass came from U.S. glass maker Corning GLW and that the base came from Utah. What’s more? Cook said it was all designed by a former U.S. Marine who now works for Apple.
"Thank you very much, it’s fantastic," Trump said.
Cook’s gift may offer a masterclass on how to curry favor with the president, combining two things of apparent symbolic importance to Trump: gold and the military.
From golden tweezers to gold merchandise and, most recently, the gold card visa, Trump’s love for gold is well documented. In the same vein, he is also known for his love of displays of military might, though his treatment of veterans has come under question.
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But Cook’s gift also adds to mounting legal and ethical concerns about Trump accepting gifts from foreign governments and business leaders seeking to curry favor. Still, the White House continues to deny any wrongdoing on the part of the president.
"Elected leaders and business titans from around the world are traveling to the Oval Office to make historic investments into America because of President Trump’s bold vision," White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told Axios. "Often these leaders are eager to share gifts highlighting the exciting work they are doing."
Nonetheless, for Cook and Apple, the recent presentation has had the desired effect. During the meeting, Trump announced plans for a 100% tariff on semiconductor chips, adding that Apple would be exempt from the charge.
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"The good news for companies like Apple is if you’re building in the United States or have committed to build in the United States, there will be no charge," Trump said.
Despite this major U.S. commitment and a personal exemption from new chip tariffs, Apple still faces significant challenges navigating the global trade landscape created by Trump. Cook said in May that tariffs on goods from India and Vietnam could add $900 million to its costs in its fiscal Q2.
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