My hunch is that Apple's board of directors discreetly employs a high-level government relations consultant who provides suitable guidance in how Apple handles the current administration. I doubt if Tim himself (or anyone else in the senior management team) came up with the idea of this particular plaque and presentation.
It's worth noting that two board directors were former CEOs of aerospace/military industry corporations who would be well versed in dealing with senior Washington D.C. officials to score big government contracts. There are also two directors from the healthcare/biotech industry. And there is another director from BlackRock.
For sure the BOD would have to be in general agreement in how/what Tim interacts with the White House, Congress, etc. He would definitely need their backing in his actions with POTUS 47. Tim Cook is not acting rogue or blindly shooting from the hip.
In a similar way I'm sure Apple engages the services of diplomatic relations consultants when Tim meets with foreign dignitaries.
Tim is smart enough to know this is how Tim Apple has to play the game for the next 3.5 years.
Besides the fact that it’s utterly repugnant, it is also in very clear and direct violation of Apple’s own business code of conduct all employees have to review and sign. But hey, since shitler has become our dictator, who cares about rules, the law, or just plain decency.
Really, the whole thing stinks to high heaven. The pragmatist in me calculates that for a few thousand dollars of gold in a fake “award,” Cook is potentially saving Apple billions in tariffs, which are themselves likely illegal. The “gift” was given to the United States, but everyone knows Trump will keep it for himself. So technicalities aside, it’s a bribe, offered in public. Bob Menendez is in prison right now for accepting bribes in the form of gold bars.
So really, while it’s seemingly understandable in the current environment that Cook would drink some antacid and go do this, in any other administration this would be obviously reprehensible, and a front-page scandal. Now, it was just Wednesday at the White House. Either way, this is one more example of surrendering in advance, ceding unearned and illegitimate authority to Trump.
So we should ask ourselves: at this point, where is the line? It is very likely that this bribe will only temporarily hold Trump off. While Trump is easily manipulated by flattery, he also sees these acts as weakness, and he sees weakness as opportunity to demand more. At what point should we expect Cook and Apple to simply refuse to genuflect to this wannabe dictator? At what point should we expect Apple as an American company to put its own profitability behind the preservation of American democracy? Maybe instead of handing over tribute, shouldn’t Apple be challenging Trump’s authority to levy these tariffs in the first place?
Fight fire with fire. If your goal is to get past the dragon that is distracted by shiny objects, make sure you have shiny objects in your bag.
That's not really fighting fire with fire. But a bag of shiny objects is the way to go here. Social media doesn't seem to grasp that this isn't a bribe. POSTUS' have received thousands of gifts over decades. They are required to "declare" them (Diplomatic Property Program). Most stay with the office and not the individual. Not that that will stop This Guy. He takes what he wants. Like looting art from the US Ambassador to France's home. Legal because – yeah. But Trump doesn't care much about law.
"I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and wouldn't lose any voters, ok? It's, like, incredible."
He does what he wants often with only the thinnest veil of legality, if that. SCOTUS has said it's ok as long as he's POSTUS.
So Cook's gift isn't a bribe. He's trying to play Business Chess with someone who barely understands Business Checkers, but own's the board. The 'net is full of comments who hate Cook for doing this. I doubt anybody hates him more than himself for having to do this.
WWSJD? Good question. Would Jobs be as pragmatic as Cook? Early Jobs might not have been, certainly with the Government back then. With This Guy? That would have be business suicide. I think the older more seasoned Jobs would have understood that.
Three+ years. It's going to be hell for anybody smart enough to not choose that stupid red hat. It will be awhile before those who chose it realize they're in the same Hell and "owning the Libs" comes at a price they weren't expecting to pay. And it won't just stop when he leaves office. If he does.
AAPL is up 10% since the press conference was announced. Not surprising. The stock was down, in part, because the market perceived that Apple was in the crosshairs of our king and liable to be punished (somehow) in the future. This offering was as much for the benefit of the analysts as the king himself. They now believe Apple is less likely to face some irrational spite from the king, so the stock price reflects that. Hundreds of billion dollars of market cap for the cost of a piece of glass and a photo op? Good deal, smart move.
I look forward to the day our king leaves office (and this mortal coil), but until then I support how the team at Apple are navigating these fraught waters.
The Apple "gift" means nothing to Trump, beyond him demonstrating he got someone to take a knee to him. Apple is his biggest target. We'll see what happens when he publicly takes aim at another company that has the cachet of Apple.
Cook is not only selling his soul to Trump with blatant corruption, he's also undermining the political system and contributing to turning the US into a banana republic.
Cook is not only selling his soul to Trump with blatant corruption, he's also undermining the political system and contributing to turning the US into a banana republic.
Because of a photo op and a plaque? What a weak political system we have if that undermines it.
But you’re right about what Generalisimo Trump is doing.
I’m sure Tim goes home and ralfs in the toilet after these meetings. I feel sorry for him having to deal with this bullshit
Not able to even “like” this post is exactly what’s wrong with America right now.
Like which post? The one you quote has 17 likes (and deserves more). The OP? It has one and deserves more.
Maybe Pilot Error? Because that's exactly what's wrong with this country right now — POTUS (Pilot of The United States. His call sign – DNDC – Don't Know Don't Care, is pronounced dunce. He's about to auger in. Take us with him? Not a chance. He'll punch out just prior to impact. 'Cause he's got golden parachutes. We'll just have to hope things get better. As we impact.
Cook is not only selling his soul to Trump with blatant corruption, he's also undermining the political system and contributing to turning the US into a banana republic.
You've put the cart before the horse. Right way 'round all Cook or anybody sees is the horse's ass they have to follow or get kicked off the cart. If you don't think the Grifter in Chief (nice one Xed) can't ruin Apple, you don't understand the GIC or what he's doing to business today. The GIC is demanding souls. Cook and other tech giants who don't share GIC's ideology would definitely give him some sole if the price wasn't so dear.
Cook pays for our greed. We want iPhones but don't want to pay tariff grift for them. We'll be very lucky if we don't have to pay $100 over last years prices for comparable phones. Maybe $50 though.
If Tim Cook and the Apple BOD are as smart as I hope they are (as a shareholder), they'll see this as a wakeup call to at least draw up emergency plans to move some major manufacturing back to the United States. In the event of an emergency, such as China invading Taiwan, we need to have more capability here. It will take billions (perhaps trillions) of investment but the safest long-term solution (other than that thug, Xi Jinping stepping down and the CCP reforming itself) is to find a way to bring more of their manufacturing closer to home. India is a good start (because it generally hews closer to the values of Western democracies with obvious exceptions) but more needs to be done. Unfortunately, I believe this $600 billion is mostly window-dressing; it's a start but it's not good enough. Yes, I realize the fix Apple is in and that there will be a dramatic increase in cost for any products made or assembled here, but it still needs to be done. It's not only an Apple issue but a national security issue. And honestly, Apple should have seen these problems with China and tariffs coming a long time ago.
I'm curious how you think this "emergency plan" could possibly work? How much would this cost? How much benefit would there be? What could not reasonably be manufactured in the US? What percentage more are you willing to pay for a product (you can round to the nearest hundred)? What features are you willing to lose from a given product because the component manufacturing can't be done in the US?
How fast does ne1 think any manufacturing could be moved to the US, in this emergency? Trump seems to think it can happen right now, because of his "because I said so" mentality. This from a "business man" who file for bankruptcy 11 times and got it 6 times.
Apple doing the only thing anyone can do. American’s just have to wait for these psychopathic losers to get booted out of the White House, then get in behind any coherent effort to rebuild your democracy and economy…
I agree with the comment that the base of this item is likely not solid 24k gold. It’s likely a harder base metal dipped in 24k (pure) gold so they can make that claim. Pure gold is far too soft. The Corning glass top piece would fall out of a chunk of pure gold, and Trump was holding the item by the hole in the glass.
Tim’s a stronger person than I am. As an Apple investor I appreciate his performing his fiduciary role professionally.
If this was a tiny village in a jungle somewhere instead of Washington DC, Tim would have brought a goat to the tribal chief to prevent any curses on the Apple family. Yes this is the new American reality.
Cook is not only selling his soul to Trump with blatant corruption, he's also undermining the political system and contributing to turning the US into a banana republic.
Because of a photo op and a plaque? What a weak political system we have if that undermines it.
But you’re right about what Generalisimo Trump is doing.
Because it’s just one more capitulation in a long series of capitulations to corruptly assumed authority. Everyone is exhausted and just allowing things that should be challenged to go unchallenged. Where does it end? What happens when more financial threats are attached to demands for user data, including things like location, communications, or women’s menstrual cycles? None of that is at all far fetched at this point, so where’s the line today, and where will it be in two weeks?
Comments
So really, while it’s seemingly understandable in the current environment that Cook would drink some antacid and go do this, in any other administration this would be obviously reprehensible, and a front-page scandal. Now, it was just Wednesday at the White House. Either way, this is one more example of surrendering in advance, ceding unearned and illegitimate authority to Trump.
So we should ask ourselves: at this point, where is the line? It is very likely that this bribe will only temporarily hold Trump off. While Trump is easily manipulated by flattery, he also sees these acts as weakness, and he sees weakness as opportunity to demand more. At what point should we expect Cook and Apple to simply refuse to genuflect to this wannabe dictator? At what point should we expect Apple as an American company to put its own profitability behind the preservation of American democracy? Maybe instead of handing over tribute, shouldn’t Apple be challenging Trump’s authority to levy these tariffs in the first place?
"I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and wouldn't lose any voters, ok? It's, like, incredible."
He does what he wants often with only the thinnest veil of legality, if that. SCOTUS has said it's ok as long as he's POSTUS.
So Cook's gift isn't a bribe. He's trying to play Business Chess with someone who barely understands Business Checkers, but own's the board. The 'net is full of comments who hate Cook for doing this. I doubt anybody hates him more than himself for having to do this.
WWSJD? Good question. Would Jobs be as pragmatic as Cook? Early Jobs might not have been, certainly with the Government back then. With This Guy? That would have be business suicide. I think the older more seasoned Jobs would have understood that.
Three+ years. It's going to be hell for anybody smart enough to not choose that stupid red hat. It will be awhile before those who chose it realize they're in the same Hell and "owning the Libs" comes at a price they weren't expecting to pay. And it won't just stop when he leaves office. If he does.
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-took-art-us-ambassador-france-home-canceling-wwi-event-2020-9?op=1
The Apple "gift" means nothing to Trump, beyond him demonstrating he got someone to take a knee to him. Apple is his biggest target. We'll see what happens when he publicly takes aim at another company that has the cachet of Apple.
Maybe Pilot Error? Because that's exactly what's wrong with this country right now — POTUS (Pilot of The United States. His call sign – DNDC – Don't Know Don't Care, is pronounced dunce. He's about to auger in. Take us with him? Not a chance. He'll punch out just prior to impact. 'Cause he's got golden parachutes. We'll just have to hope things get better. As we impact.
Cook pays for our greed. We want iPhones but don't want to pay tariff grift for them. We'll be very lucky if we don't have to pay $100 over last years prices for comparable phones. Maybe $50 though.
Tim’s a stronger person than I am. As an Apple investor I appreciate his performing his fiduciary role professionally.