Apple announces $500 billion investment after Cook meets Trump

Apple announced on Monday that it plans to invest $500 billion in the United States and hire 20,000 employees over the next four years.

The plan, from coast to coast of the country, includes a wide range of research and development initiatives, focused primarily on artificial intelligence (AI) servers, as well as silicon engineering and the development of these skills and capabilities for students and workers, according to the official statement issued by the company.

“We are optimistic about the future of American innovation and are proud to build on our long-term investment in the U.S. with this $500 billion commitment,” said Tim Cook, CEO of the Cupertino company in the note.

“From doubling our advanced manufacturing fund to creating cutting-edge technology in Texas, we are thrilled to expand our support for American manufacturing,” the company’s CEO said.

The announcement comes after Cook was in the White House last week meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. This type of investment is what Trump is seeking with the implementation of tariffs in order to give a boost to manufacturing in the US and thus stop imports from other countries. This allows the president to tell other companies that if Apple can do it, so can they. It is a bet on the future, which can be very costly for citizens, on whom the tariffs ultimately revert, analysts say.

Most iPhones are manufactured in China by Taiwanese giant Foxconn. Earlier this month, the US imposed 10% tariffs on all products from China. So this announcement fits perfectly with Trump's style of pressure.

Thanks to this investment package, Apple, together with other partners, will open an advanced manufacturing facility in Houston to produce servers that support the company's AI, personal intelligence systems that help users write, express themselves and get things done. Another relevant aspect is the expansion of chip manufacturing.

It will also double its funding for advanced manufacturing with a school in Michigan to train and prepare the next generation of American manufacturers, while boosting the growth of research investments to support cutting-edge fields like silicon engineering.

Apple's investment, to the great satisfaction of Trump and his supporters, will focus primarily on red, i.e. conservative, states.

This $500 billion commitment affects thousands of suppliers in all 50 states that collaborate with Apple, direct jobs, intelligence infrastructure and data centers, and other businesses (including Apple TV). The statement underlines that this company remains one of the largest taxpayers to the US treasury with more than $75 billion paid over the past five years, with $19 billion in 2024 alone.

Apple has 2.9 million direct jobs across the country and has 24 factories that produce silicon.