China, home to Apple’s key rival Huawei, has already contested the tariffs at the World Trade Organization, condemning them as “trade protectionism.” Meanwhile, a Harvard CAPS-Harris poll released Monday found that while 50% of U.S. voters believe tariffs can pressure foreign governments into trade concessions, only 32% think new tariffs on Chinese goods will have a positive economic impact.
Jobs & Infrastructure: The Long-Term Play
Apple plans to hire 20,000 new employees across various U.S. locations, expanding its teams in custom silicon, hardware engineering, AI, and machine learning. Additionally, the Houston-based 250,000-square-foot factory set to launch in 2026 will be dedicated to assembling servers for AI and cloud computing initiatives.
As part of its investment, Apple will also fund a Michigan-based manufacturing school and increase its R&D spending to drive advancements in silicon engineering. The company, which paid $19 billion in U.S. taxes last year and $75 billion over five years, remains one of the nation’s top taxpayers.
