Apple CEO Tim Cook attending Trump inauguration after $1 million donation

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Apple CEO Tim Cook will join other big tech executives at the inauguration as they seek to avoid being targeted by incoming regulation and tariffs.

The United States Capitol building with a large dome, columns, and steps under a clear blue sky.
The US Capitol building. Image source: Visit the Capitol government website



Different United States presidents call for different tactics. With the incoming administration, gone are the days of sending a few hundred lobbyists to Washington.

Instead, the companies and the CEOs themselves must curry favor from the one in charge.

A new report from Bloomberg states that Apple CEO Tim Cook will join other tech executives like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos at the inauguration. It follows reporting that Cook donated $1 million of his own money to the inauguration, and so far, Apple has donated none.

Cook and others learned from the first time through with Donald Trump that in-person interactions were the only way to stay on his good side. Of course, these interactions can always backfire, but not playing the game isn't an option.

Tech regulation has hit a peak with countries around the world scrutinizing everything from Google search to Apple's App Store. It seems Apple and others hope that all of this press coverage, donations, and compliments will be enough to avoid some of the harsher possibilities during this term.

It isn't as if tech companies have never done anything like this before, but the scale of the donations is higher and the attention given the donations is clearer. Cook's donation out of his own pocket has been described as a move to keep Apple out of it, even if the shareholders are proposing otherwise.

Other companies have taken a more straightforward approach to courting the incoming administration. For example, Meta has removed fact-checking, DEI, and many of its safeguards in the name of "free speech," a klaxon of the party.

Cook has stayed in the background, congratulating Trump on social media, attending a dinner, and not involving Apple directly. It's all part of a carefully crafted playbook.

It remains to be seen if all of the work put in by Cook and company will squeeze out any results. A rumor denied by the EU suggests that there was at least some pause in levying fines over the DMA because of Trump, and more of that could come.



Read on AppleInsider

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 37
    He wants to get his million (now Trumps) bucks worth.
    baconstangwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 37
    slimeball getting my money makes me sick to my stomach, time for him to resign…and yes it’s my money as well as everyone loyal to Apple.
    SmittyWmarklarkForumPostdavsconosciuto
     3Likes 2Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 37
    Smart move on Tim's part, I don't want Apple to get shafted by new tariff policies. Or maybe he's happy that Trump is getting rid of the bird and whale killing windmills, or maybe he wants and invitation to Mar a Lago to see another live performance of YMCA by the Village People.
    JinTechmarklarkFred257ForumPostdavblastdoorsconosciutowatto_cobra
     3Likes 5Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 37
    JinTechjintech Posts: 1,085member
    SmittyW said:
    Smart move on Tim's part, I don't want Apple to get shafted by new tariff policies. Or maybe he's happy that Trump is getting rid of the bird and whale killing windmills, or maybe he wants and invitation to Mar a Lago to see another live performance of YMCA by the Village People.
    This.

    For all those opposed to Cook doing this, he's doing it for the benefit of the company, and in turn the benefit of the consumer.

    Would you rather higher priced Apple products?
    SmittyWmarklarkmuthuk_vanalingamForumPostdavapple4thewinblastdoorjibsconosciutowatto_cobra
     7Likes 4Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 37
    Wesley Hilliardwesley hilliard Posts: 374member, administrator, moderator, editor
    WOW after of the complete disaster of Biden & Harris, the US economy and the country itself brought to its knees there is still this insane hatred of Trump! Unbelievable. That's and opinion of someone in the UK looking at what has happened to the great nation of the USA of the last four years. Tim Cook knows big change is coming and all he is doing is positioning himself and Apple to take advantage of that.


    Ah yes, brought to our knees under the crushing weight of having the world's best economy and job numbers in years. Can't wait to see what the man who handed over one of the worst economies since 2008 does when he's in power again. Less jobs, more deficits, higher prices, more expensive housing? All of the above? Stay tuned!
    darbus69XedAnilu_777ForumPostdavapple4thewinSmittyWblastdoortiredskillsgatorguy
     11Likes 1Dislike 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 37
    jdwjdw Posts: 1,469member

    ...shareholders are proposing otherwise.

    Where "proposing otherwise" seems to suggest that AAPL shareholders might be trying to get Apple into a political mess. But an AAPL shareholder voting against Apple's DEI hiring practices would argue it is a way to get Apple out.

    DEI hiring seeks to increase the share of "underrepresented" employees.  That can mean fewer opportunities for those who traditionally filled those roles prior to DEI hiring. DEI proponents would argue "that is a necessary trade-off in addressing systemic inequalities." But opponents would question if that trade-off is justifiable, especially when it risks brewing a political firestorm at the workplace.
    davSmittyWblastdoorjibwatto_cobrabyronlRobJenk
     4Likes 3Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 37
    Xedxed Posts: 2,967member
    WOW after of the complete disaster of Biden & Harris, the US economy and the country itself brought to its knees there is still this insane hatred of Trump! Unbelievable. That's and opinion of someone in the UK looking at what has happened to the great nation of the USA of the last four years. Tim Cook knows big change is coming and all he is doing is positioning himself and Apple to take advantage of that.
    I don't expect you to do any research or read any actual news, but I would appreciate it you kept the douchey comments to a minimum.
    Anilu_777ForumPostdavbeowulfschmidtSmittyWblastdoorjibtiredskillsgatorguywatto_cobra
     9Likes 1Dislike 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 37
    Xedxed Posts: 2,967member
    darbus69 said:
    slimeball getting my money makes me sick to my stomach, time for him to resign…and yes it’s my money as well as everyone loyal to Apple.
    Look, I don't like this pay-for-play, corrupt government that is led by someone solely driven by personal profit, but it's not your money. It's Tim Cook's money and he has the right to do with it as he chooses.

    Furthermore, it's no longer "our" money once we agree to hand it over to a company in exchange for a good or service. If we don't like what a company or its leaders do, then we can vote agains them by opting not to use them in the future. This has hurt many companies.

    PS: You also have the right to destroy the products you already own, which only seems to be a maneuver by the overly sensitive Far Right and so-called Conservatives, and I'd warn that doing so is incredibly foolish because the company already has your money from that exchange. 
    mattinozmuthuk_vanalingamForumPostblastdoorjibwatto_cobrabyronl
     7Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 37
    Fred257fred257 Posts: 269member
    Both T’s show incredibly bad character.

    Character doesn’t matter anymore apparently 
    ForumPostSmittyWjibwatto_cobra
     0Likes 3Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 10 of 37
    Just wait until tariffs hit. Then prices for everything will go up. Buy now. 
    davtiredskillssconosciutowatto_cobra
     4Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 11 of 37
    Xed said:
    WOW after of the complete disaster of Biden & Harris, the US economy and the country itself brought to its knees there is still this insane hatred of Trump! Unbelievable. That's and opinion of someone in the UK looking at what has happened to the great nation of the USA of the last four years. Tim Cook knows big change is coming and all he is doing is positioning himself and Apple to take advantage of that.
    I don't expect you to do any research or read any actual news, but I would appreciate it you kept the douchey comments to a minimum.

    No, I don't read the propaganda, unlike you. You are looking and believing an illusion. You will learn, eventually. You hope Trump fails but he will not.

    Has Trump succeeded in making Mexico build that wall along the US border with their own money in his previous term? Or, is that planned for the current term? Or planned for some unknown date in future?
    ForumPostdavavon b7blastdoorjibtiredskillssconosciutowatto_cobrabyronl
     9Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 12 of 37
    Xed said:
    WOW after of the complete disaster of Biden & Harris, the US economy and the country itself brought to its knees there is still this insane hatred of Trump! Unbelievable. That's and opinion of someone in the UK looking at what has happened to the great nation of the USA of the last four years. Tim Cook knows big change is coming and all he is doing is positioning himself and Apple to take advantage of that.
    I don't expect you to do any research or read any actual news, but I would appreciate it you kept the douchey comments to a minimum.

    No, I don't read the propaganda, unlike you. You are looking and believing an illusion. You will learn, eventually. You hope Trump fails but he will not.

    Has Trump succeeded in making Mexico build that wall along the US border with their own money in his previous term? Or, is that planned for the current term? Or planned for some unknown date in future?

    Did Trump put tariffs in place?  He sure did.
    davblastdoorjibmanwithnonametiredskillssconosciuto
     2Likes 4Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 37

    SmittyW said:
    Smart move on Tim's part, I don't want Apple to get shafted by new tariff policies. Or maybe he's happy that Trump is getting rid of the bird and whale killing windmills, or maybe he wants and invitation to Mar a Lago to see another live performance of YMCA by the Village People.
    Greed and casual homophobia.  What an efficient post.
    mattinozdavSmittyWblastdoorjibtiredskillssconosciutowatto_cobrabyronl
     5Likes 3Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 14 of 37
    fred1fred1 Posts: 1,149member
    Apple pay’s millions in bribes to lawmakers every year, also known as “lobbying”, why not give a mil to the president. I hope he has a good seat at the inauguration.
    davSmittyWwatto_cobrabyronl
     2Likes 1Dislike 1Informative
  • Reply 15 of 37
    This is what is required when the man baby "chosen" to run the country has the mind, vocabulary and temperament of an five year old. Don't fault Tim. Fault the people that voted for Trump.
    edited January 16
    davSmittyWblastdoorjibtiredskillssconosciutowatto_cobrabyronl
     7Likes 1Dislike 0Informatives
  • Reply 16 of 37
    fred1 said:
    Apple pay’s millions in bribes to lawmakers every year, also known as “lobbying”, why not give a mil to the president. I hope he has a good seat at the inauguration.

    Right.  If graft is gonna be legal and "OK" for congresscritters, then it oughta be OK for presidents too, however big a dumpster fire they are.
    apple4thewinfred1sconosciutowatto_cobrabyronl
     5Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 17 of 37
    I wonder what they will do with all that money for the inauguration pocket it?
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 18 of 37
    blastdoorblastdoor Posts: 3,671member
    Xed said:
    darbus69 said:
    slimeball getting my money makes me sick to my stomach, time for him to resign…and yes it’s my money as well as everyone loyal to Apple.
    Look, I don't like this pay-for-play, corrupt government that is led by someone solely driven by personal profit, but it's not your money. It's Tim Cook's money and he has the right to do with it as he chooses.

    Furthermore, it's no longer "our" money once we agree to hand it over to a company in exchange for a good or service. If we don't like what a company or its leaders do, then we can vote agains them by opting not to use them in the future. This has hurt many companies.

    PS: You also have the right to destroy the products you already own, which only seems to be a maneuver by the overly sensitive Far Right and so-called Conservatives, and I'd warn that doing so is incredibly foolish because the company already has your money from that exchange. 
    I agree with all of your post. 

    I'll also add -- Cook is doing what successful leaders living in the real world do to achieve their goals. I suspect that Cook recognizes that Trump cares far less about individual policy issues than he cares about fealty to the king. So by throwing some money at the little tyrant, Cook buys room for Apple to continue operating under their values. Note that Apple isn't abandoning DEI or environmental commitments. And I'll bet Apple avoids tariff damage, too. 

    It sucks that this is the world we live in, but Cook pretending that the world is different than it is won't change it. 
    Xedtiredskillswatto_cobrabyronl
     4Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 19 of 37
    Xedxed Posts: 2,967member
    Xed said:
    WOW after of the complete disaster of Biden & Harris, the US economy and the country itself brought to its knees there is still this insane hatred of Trump! Unbelievable. That's and opinion of someone in the UK looking at what has happened to the great nation of the USA of the last four years. Tim Cook knows big change is coming and all he is doing is positioning himself and Apple to take advantage of that.
    I don't expect you to do any research or read any actual news, but I would appreciate it you kept the douchey comments to a minimum.

    No, I don't read the propaganda, unlike you. You are looking and believing an illusion. You will learn, eventually. You hope Trump fails but he will not.

    Has Trump succeeded in making Mexico build that wall along the US border with their own money in his previous term? Or, is that planned for the current term? Or planned for some unknown date in future?

    Did Trump put tariffs in place?  He sure did.
    How can you still lot understand how tariffs work?  It’s one thing to be anti-democracy, pro-corruption (you have that right no matter how deplorable it is), but to willfully choose to remain ignorant about a basic subject is pretty pathetic.
    edited January 16
    tiredskillswatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 20 of 37
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,870member
    As CEO, Tim Cook is responsible for maintaining and growing Apple. His business priorities must always trump his personal priorities. If this were not the case he should not be CEO. Even managers in companies must follow the same set of priorities. A manager may have to lay off his best friend. That’s just the way it is, whether he has to hold his nose or take a long hot shower after the event to clean off all the BS. 

    Nothing personal, this is what Capitalism is all about.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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