Apple CEO Tim Cook tapped to advise President Trump's 'Office of American Innovation'

AppleInsider · March 27, 2017 2:43PM

On Monday U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to announce a new White House agency dubbed the "Office of American Innovation," staffed by former business executives and advised by current ones -- among them Apple CEO Tim Cook.

The office will be run by Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and given the authority to overhaul sections of federal bureaurcracy, possibly even privatizing some services, the Washington Post said. Other people advising the team include Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, former Microsoft head Bill Gates, and Tesla/SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Indeed the office is said to have a strong emphasis on technology and data.

Kushner is said to be selling the office as "an offensive team," yet non-ideological. Despite its business leanings, it will allegedly incorporate talent from inside government as well as outside, and link the business, philanthropic, and academic worlds.

"The government should be run like a great American company," Kushner told the Post. "Our hope is that we can achieve successes and efficiencies for our customers, who are the citizens."

Some early plans include modernizing the tech infrastructure of the federal government, changing up workforce training programs, and reorganizing Veterans Affairs. The office will also aim at "transformative projects" under Trump's $1 trillion infrastructure plan, one of these being the goal of bringing broadband to every American. Some government services could be handed over to private companies, while in other cases existing contracts might be given to new bidders.

People associated with the American Innovation group have often been critical of Trump. Cook in particular has attacked multiple policies, such as Trump's stances on immigration, women, transgender rights, and minorities.

At the same time, the Apple CEO has previously met with Kushner and Trump himself, looking to sway the White House in its favor where it can. Some critics have argued that executives opposed to Trump should refuse to collaborate.

robin huber · March 27, 2017 2:56PM

Tim: Please advise Trump to to resign his current government internship and go back to the hospitality industry that he came from.

frankie · March 27, 2017 3:06PM

And by innovation he means use horse and buggies and oil lanterns...

foregoneconclusion · March 27, 2017 3:15PM

Reducing American citizens to "customer" status sounds about right for the Trump administration.

eightzero · March 27, 2017 3:21PM

"The government should be run like a great American company," Kushner told the Post. "Our hope is that we can achieve successes and efficiencies for our customers, who are the citizens."

I've never understood this. How much profit does the DoD make annually?

Governments aren't companies, and we aren't customers. We own the government - they work for us.

adrayven · March 27, 2017 3:22PM

So, I've gone from a citizen down to a customer. why is this a good thing? Oh, right, it lines the 1%'s pockets even more because, you know, this is a good thing. /sick..

adrayven · March 27, 2017 3:23PM

eightzero said:

"The government should be run like a great American company," Kushner told the Post. "Our hope is that we can achieve successes and efficiencies for our customers, who are the citizens."

I've never understood this. How much profit does the DoD make annually?

Governments aren't companies, and we aren't customers. We own the government - they work for us.

Exactly, we ARE the board of this company; not the customers.

tyrann · March 27, 2017 3:31PM

Tim's Apple can no longer innovate. If he want's tips on max profit and process then sure.

baconstang · March 27, 2017 3:31PM

"The government should be run like a great American company," Kushner told the Post. "Our hope is that we can achieve successes and efficiencies for our customers, who are the citizens."

NO NO NO!
We are the shareholders.

2old4fun · March 27, 2017 3:32PM

eightzero said:

"The government should be run like a great American company," Kushner told the Post. "Our hope is that we can achieve successes and efficiencies for our customers, who are the citizens."

Governments aren't companies, and we aren't customers. We own the government - they work for us.

If the government works for us, we are doing a poor job of managing them. We do not fire the non-productive.

2old4fun · March 27, 2017 3:33PM

If we are the board why are we not directing the work?

edited March 2017

stickista · March 27, 2017 3:34PM

Government is not a 'business'. Its purpose isn't to produce profit for stockholders.

baconstang · March 27, 2017 3:38PM

I'm glad Tim is trying to work with them.
Trump's team has shown itself to be clueless and in far over their heads.
Hopefully he can steer them to make some sensible decisions.

edited March 2017

rfrmac · March 27, 2017 3:42PM

I find this very interesting. Tim is not what I call an innovator. But I applaud the President for reaching out to business for some help. Where else should he go? As for the government not being a business, have you ever done business or two worked for the government? It's the biggest business in the United States. As for producing profits, it's profits are in the helping and protecting of it's people. Come on, I applaud the guy for looking for help. To some here it would make any difference what President Trump did, it would be wrong.

melgross · March 27, 2017 3:51PM

Well, this just shows why business people should never hold the reigns of power. They have no idea what government is. Government is not a business. Efficiency is nice, but not required for a government. A government doesn't need to show a profit.

While businesses need to have a budget that breaks even, at worst, for a long time, and at best, show a profit, a government needs to do work for its people that can exceed the taxes taken in for a long time, something that would break most businesses. The difference is that while businesses can't create money, government can. That doesn't mean that governments should creat new money Willy nilly. But increasing the money supply is required for a growing economy. Sometimes increasing the money supply so that the currency loses value is helpful, such as for increasing exports. Business doesn't have any way of doing that.

perhaps government is more akin to a charity, or non profit.

at any rate, Kushner shows is incompetence here, as does his father in law. Neither seem to understand government. Trump declares that nobody knew that health care reform was so hard. Well, it seems that everyone but him knew that already.

edited March 2017

melgross · March 27, 2017 3:52PM

rfrmac said:

I find this very interesting. Tim is not what I call an innovator. But I applaud the President for reaching out to business for some help. Where else should he go? As for the government not being a business, have you ever done business or two worked for the government? It's the biggest business in the United States. As for producing profits, it's profits are in the helping and protecting of it's people. Come on, I applaud the guy for looking for help. To some here it would make any difference what President Trump did, it would be wrong.

No, it's not. You are really twisting things around if you really believe what you said here.

metriacanthosaurus · March 27, 2017 3:54PM

AppleInsider said:

Some critics have argued that executives opposed to Trump should refuse to collaborate.

Well that is just fucking stupid, isn't it? Yeah that is how progress is made - act like petulant fucking child and not participate because you don't agree on everything.

rotateleftbyte · March 27, 2017 3:54PM

baconstang said:

I'm glad Tim is trying to work with them.
Trump's team has shown itself to be clueless and far over their heads.
Hopefully he can steer them to make some sensible decisions.

And Pigs might fly. Sorry but that is how it seems.

boltsfan17 · March 27, 2017 3:58PM

eightzero said:

"The government should be run like a great American company," Kushner told the Post. "Our hope is that we can achieve successes and efficiencies for our customers, who are the citizens."

I've never understood this. How much profit does the DoD make annually?

Governments aren't companies, and we aren't customers. We own the government - they work for us.

What is so hard to understand about it? You can use a simple business plan and apply it to the government.

eightzero · March 27, 2017 4:02PM

boltsfan17 said:

eightzero said:

"The government should be run like a great American company," Kushner told the Post. "Our hope is that we can achieve successes and efficiencies for our customers, who are the citizens."

I've never understood this. How much profit does the DoD make annually?

Governments aren't companies, and we aren't customers. We own the government - they work for us.

What is so hard to understand about it? You can use a simple business plan and apply it to the government.

OK. So there is a plan that could make the DoD profitable? Oh, I guess we need to invade and conquer more countries. Worked well for all the other empires, and they didn't have nukes and practice MAD.

baconstang · March 27, 2017 4:03PM

rotateleftbyte said:

baconstang said:

I'm glad Tim is trying to work with them.
Trump's team has shown itself to be clueless and far over their heads.
Hopefully he can steer them to make some sensible decisions.

And Pigs might fly. Sorry but that is how it seems.

Pigs fly every time Trump and his sons get on a plane.

Apple CEO Tim Cook tapped to advise President Trump's 'Office of American Innovation'

Comments