Apple refuses to back GOP convention because of Trump politics

Posted:
in General Discussion edited June 2016
Despite having provided aid in the past, Apple is withholding financial and technological support from this year's Republican presidential convention -- owing to controversial positions by candidate Donald Trump, a report claimed on Saturday.




The company privately told Republicans it won't offer support because of Trump's comments on minorities, women, and immigrants, according to two Politico sources. The website didn't say whether the topic of Trump's direct criticisms of Apple came up in discussions.

In January, Trump promised to make Apple manufacture its products in the U.S. instead of overseas. A month later, he suggested people should boycott Apple unless it backed down in its fight with the Department of Justice over unlocking the iPhone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook.

Later on it was found that Trump's Twitter account was still being updated from an iPhone, and that he owned over $1 million in Apple shares.

Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are still supporting this year's GOP convention, despite having sometimes expressed their own concerns about Trump. Apple has traditionally curried favor by backing both Democratic and Republican conventions -- in 2008, for instance, it supplied roughly $140,000 in MacBooks and other materials to the two parties. It skipped 2012, when the Democrats decided against taking corporate donations for their event.

Opposition to Trump may be steep at Apple. In March, stopping his presidential run was allegedly the main topic of discussion in a meeting with GOP representatives attended by Apple CEO Tim Cook and other tech industry figures, as well as various financial giants and politicians.

This weekend is proving an unusually political one for Apple, as Lisa Jackson -- the company's VP Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives -- said she will be speaking at the Bay Area Women's Summit on June 21. Many other prominent figures will be at the event, like the mayors of San Francisco and Oakland, U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios, and senior advisor to President Obama Valerie Jarrett.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 278
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    I don't think Apple should pick sides no matter how disastrous a Trump presidency would be. 
    tallest skilallmypeoplemonstrosityelijahgmobiusbobcat62caccamuccajcs2305redraider11jackansi
  • Reply 2 of 278
    lostkiwilostkiwi Posts: 639member
    This will be interesting. There is a large and extremely vocal group of Republican/Trump supporters here on AI. Personally I can't understand why as Apple is the most left leaning American company I can think of in the most left leaning state. 

    I'm not American but it is so gosh darn interesting watching your politics. It is a mixture of the most toxic reality TV series combined with the naked tribalism of a collegiate final (insert the sport of your choice). 

    Fascinating. And horrifying at once. 
    edited June 2016 Soliai46tomkarlpatchythepiratebobschlobelijahgmobiusmac_dogfastasleepbobcat62
  • Reply 3 of 278
    rcponercpone Posts: 20member
    It's usually a good idea if you want money from someone to not encourage the populace to boycott their products. Just sayin'
    allmypeopleai46jfc1138patchythepiratelarryastevenozcornchipjroybobcat62moreck
  • Reply 4 of 278
    pdbreskepdbreske Posts: 45member
    I'm not backing either of the two major parties (and haven't for years), but this probably isn't a smart business move for Apple. Suppose Trump wins. What does Tim Cook think Trump will do when he has the power of the White House behind him? Not good.

    Also, I find it interesting that Apple presumably plans to still support the Democrats, noting Hillary's backing of the Iraq war and opposition to gay marriage (she only supports gay "unions"). Plus every other thing wrong with her.

    Why take sides at all? What's the end game? It's this kind of political garbage that makes people jump ship and stop buying products they've used for years.
    edited June 2016 monstrosityelijahgjagnutcaccamuccaTomEjbdragonewtheckmanredraider11cullypjmazz
  • Reply 5 of 278
    I'm not a Trump fan and I am an Apple product user, but I find it ironic that Apple (Tim Cook) doesn't seem to mind selling their products in countries who degrade women and persecute  gays and lesbians. The hypocrisy of either party is getting to ridiculous levels.

    edited June 2016 macseekertallest skilmonstrositylarryabobcat62jagnutdasanman69caccamuccajbdragonmrmarkdemaio
  • Reply 6 of 278
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Controversial positions? He's a raving loony. He leans which way the wind blows and doesn't demonstrate any faculties for the oval office. Lots of politicians do not, but Donald Trump certainly does not.
    edited June 2016 tokyojimusplifhmmjroymoreckbb-15iqatedomacky the mackymdriftmeyermagman1979
  • Reply 7 of 278
    So how long before Trump trash-talks, asserting that Apple is a disaster and Cook is a disgrace ... via a tweet from his iPhone?
    moreckmacky the mackyP-DogNClostkiwirevenantargonautjony0
  • Reply 8 of 278
    razormaidrazormaid Posts: 299member
    jungmark said:
    I don't think Apple should pick sides no matter how disastrous a Trump presidency would be. 
    agree. If you give to one you give to both because the people purchasing you're product is from both parties too. Either give to both or give to none

    many an actor and recording artist have watched their sales literally drop in half over night when they decide to voice their opinion which none of us asked for. 

    And for those of you who say "say have the right to voice their feelings like anyone else..."   Blah blah. Well "everyone else" is not asking for you to buy the music or see their movies now are they?

    just sayin'. When madonna Started being political she was boo'd off stage. When Skec Baldwin (and friends) came screaming out on their views, they stopped getting good parts, unless George Clooney made the movie <lol> 

    im his saying come September maybe I'll try Simone else's product rather than hand over money. If it's good enough for Apple to do "pick and choose"... there's a lot of new players coming to the market. 
    apple ][jbdragon
  • Reply 9 of 278
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Labman57 said:
    So how long before Trump trash-talks, asserting that Apple is a disaster and Cook is a disgrace ... via a tweet from his iPhone?
    He'll do anything to win and anything for attention. Anything. He's a nightmare. He shouldn't be within 10 miles of the White House.
    edited June 2016 mobiusmac_doghmmjroymoreckbb-15macky the mackybaconstangkermit4krazyAni
  • Reply 10 of 278
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    jungmark said:
    I don’t think Apple should pick sides...
    Exactly. Why would they back it in the first place?!
    apple ][jackansijony0
  • Reply 11 of 278
    markbyrnmarkbyrn Posts: 661member
    Makes great sense to since Trump called for a boycott of Apple
    jfc1138jlanddjroybb-15macky the mackymejsricbaconstangkermit4krazyAnilolliver
  • Reply 12 of 278
    The USA is heading down the tubes fast - of all the hundreds of millions of people in the country, we're stuck choosing between Clinton and Trump. That is a disgrace.
    irelandmobiusmac_dogAnilolliverjbdragonHerbivore2rfrmacjasenj1
  • Reply 13 of 278
    The story says that Microsoft is still supporting the GOP convention but I don't believe this to be the case. Microsoft I believed backed out for similar reasons regarding comments about minorities and women etc about a month ago.
    baconstangkermit4krazyafrodri
  • Reply 14 of 278
    9secondkox29secondkox2 Posts: 2,631member
    Trump has MAJOR issues.

    But SO does Clinton... Arguably worse in many areas. I read Clinton Cash (well reviewed in the left & right press) and it is horrifying. There's lots of smart members on this board. Read the book or google some of the articles about it.

    Bottom line: I don't think it's a good idea for Apple to take sides.
    GREAT post. Where are the Apple boycott on Clinton the lying, murderous war criminal. IT is a choice between the lesser of two evils. And from what I have seen, Trump is a demon, but Clinton is Satan himself. 

    Seems Apple is forgetting that America is a place of freedom - speech, religion, choice, etc. 

    I like Apple, but censorship is wrong. And that's all this is.
    edited June 2016 tallest skilallmypeopleanonconformistjbdragonredraider11cully
  • Reply 15 of 278
    mubailimubaili Posts: 453member
    It is great that Apple is doing this.
    ai46mac_dogjroymacky the mackymejsricbaconstangkermit4krazylolliverspice-boymuppetry
  • Reply 16 of 278
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Haha, how pathetic and how hypocritical and how predictable.

    Apple leading the effort to ban gun emojis, while at the same time funding a Dr Dre series, which reportedly has no shortage of violence and sex. So an emoji is bad, but a series with sex and violence is ok, got it.

    Apple coming out strongly against bathroom laws in North Carolina, while at the same time doing business in many countries that executes gays, lol. 

    Does Apple support illegal immigration and criminals? Yep, it sure looks like it.

    Apple is becoming more and more anti-American, I'm sorry to say.

    Apple was never this political under Steve Jobs. I'm not the first to say this, but I miss Steve Jobs being in charge of Apple.



    tallest skilallmypeoplelord amhranjagnutnathanimaljbdragonbdkennedy1002rfrmacredraider11jasenj1
  • Reply 17 of 278
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member

    IMO, Apple, or any other company, should support efforts to encourage people to: investigate the issues and the standing of candidates/partys on those issues; and to vote for those who best represent their personal values ...

    I believe it is wrong for a company to try and make those decisions for you, me or anyone ...

    Paraphrasing Al Capp:  "What's good for General Bullmose isn't Good for the Country!"

    slprescottredraider11cully
  • Reply 18 of 278
    9secondkox29secondkox2 Posts: 2,631member

    weathers said:
    I'm not a Trump fan and I am an Apple product user, but I find it ironic that Apple (Tim Cook) doesn't seem to mind selling their products in countries who degrade women and persecute  gays and lesbians. The hypocrisy of either party is getting to ridiculous levels.

    A lot of hypocrisy. Cook mentions his strong stands of some real and some perceived Human Rights violations

    Yet, relies heavily on a country that is ALL ABOUT Human Rights violations.

    I don't align with Cooks values at all. Nor his need to stick Apple at the forefront of HIS values. Jobs had values that sometimes differed. But he had the wisdom to stay neutral.

    Now India... caste system and all.
    allmypeoplejagnutjbdragonbdkennedy1002rfrmacredraider11cully
  • Reply 19 of 278
    sector7gsector7g Posts: 156member
    weathers said:
    I'm not a Trump fan and I am an Apple product user, but I find it ironic that Apple (Tim Cook) doesn't seem to mind selling their products in countries who degrade women and persecute  gays and lesbians. The hypocrisy of either party is getting to ridiculous levels.

    I hate this particular argument, as it basically suggests if you can't save the entire world, you shouldn't try anywhere. Apple is a US based company and if it's going to try and make a difference it will have more impact at home, than in a foreign country. 

    ai46fracjroybb-15macky the mackybaconstangAnicrowleyRosynalolliver
  • Reply 20 of 278
    jfc1138jfc1138 Posts: 3,090member
    First Amendment baby. Corporations get to decide for themselves what political agendas they support: or oppose. Oh, and the Supreme Court of the United States in Citizens United. 

    Now refusing to SELL things to the Republican Party? Isn't that's the Pub argument for wedding cake bakers? If they did (and that's not what the article says, just contributions) it'd be ironic eh?
    edited June 2016 dasanman69jbdragonjackansi
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