According to the latest reports from foreign media, Apple may plan to purchase Trump Gold Card (Trump Gold Card) for as much as $5 million (approximately HKD 39 million), hoping to leverage this political maneuver to ease tariffs and gain more time to adjust its production strategy.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that Apple’s recent move could be an attempt to ease Donald Trump’s stance on the tech industry by supporting his gold card program, while also reducing his focus on iPhone tariffs. He believes that if this strategy is successful, Apple could gain short-term benefits and get some breathing room to prepare for its production transition plans.
During public events, Trump has also mentioned Apple, stating that if Apple products are not produced locally in the U.S., punitive tariffs will be imposed. This threat once put pressure on Apple’s stock price, resulting in a loss of billions in market value. Guo Mingqi also pointed out that if Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, fails to establish good communication with Trump’s camp in the Middle East or other strategic regions, Apple will need to explore alternative solutions.
Although Apple had promised to invest $500 billion (approximately HKD 39 trillion) in establishing manufacturing bases in the United States, in reality, the majority of iPhone production continues to rely on Asian countries, including China and India. If Apple ultimately fails to persuade the Trump administration to implement tariff policies, it may be forced to accelerate the shift of its production lines from China or India to the United States.
