Apple refuses to back GOP convention because of Trump politics
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.
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.
Comments
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!"
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.
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?