Apple to invest additional $100bn in US: White House official

Announcement will be officially made later at a White House event with President Donald Trump

By
AFP
|
Aerial view of Apples headquarters in Cupertino, California, US, October 28, 2021. Picture taken October 28, 2021. — Reuters
Aerial view of Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California, US, October 28, 2021. Picture taken October 28, 2021. — Reuters

Apple will invest an additional $100 billion in the United States, taking its total pledge to $600 billion over the next four years, a senior White House official said Wednesday.

The announcement, which was first reported by US media, will be officially made later Wednesday at 4:30pm (2030 GMT) at a White House event with President Donald Trump.

In February, Apple said it would spend more than $500 billion in the United States and hire 20,000 people, with Trump quickly taking credit for the decision.

The Silicon Valley-based giant said it was its "largest-ever spend commitment", which came as tech companies battle for dominance in developing artificial intelligence technology.

It builds on plans announced in 2021, when the company founded by Steve Jobs said that it would invest $430 billion in the US and add 20,000 jobs over the next five years.

Trump, who has pushed US companies to shift manufacturing home by slapping tariffs on trading partners, claimed that his administration was to thank for the investment.

Apple reported a quarterly profit of $23.4 billion in late July, topping forecasts despite facing higher costs due to Trump's sweeping levies.

Tariffs are essentially a tax paid by companies importing goods to the United States. This means Apple is on the hook for tariffs on iPhones and other products or components it brings into the country from abroad.