Tim Cook changes Twitter name to 'Tim Apple' in response to Trump gaffe
After President Donald Trump accidentally referred to Apple CEO Tim Cook as "Tim Apple," the exec's social media team seems to have capitalized on the opportunity.
Cook's Twitter profile now names him as "Tim Apple," the last name being represented by an Apple logo on compatible devices. The rest of his profile and feed is otherwise unchanged, making no references to Trump's comments.
The CEO was in Washington, D.C. yesterday as a member of the White House's American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, sitting directly next to Trump.
"People like Tim -- you're expanding all over and doing things I really wanted you to right from the beginning," Trump said. "I used to say, 'Tim, you've got to start doing it over here,' and you really have. You really put a big investment in our country. We appreciate it very much, Tim Apple."
Trump is known for both deliberately and accidentally changing the names of famous people. He once called Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson "Marillyn Lockheed," and has referred to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos as "Jeff Bozo," mainly because his newspaper the Washington Post has regularly covered the White House in a manner that the president does not prefer.
In Wednesday's meeting Trump said he considered Cook "a friend," if largely because of Apple's hiring sprees and cash repatriation. It's questionable whether the two have a genuine friendship -- the CEO has regularly spoken out against Trump's policies on matters like immigration, LGBT rights, climate change, and Chinese trade. Apple has at least benefited from lowered corporate taxes.
Cook's Twitter profile now names him as "Tim Apple," the last name being represented by an Apple logo on compatible devices. The rest of his profile and feed is otherwise unchanged, making no references to Trump's comments.
The CEO was in Washington, D.C. yesterday as a member of the White House's American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, sitting directly next to Trump.
"People like Tim -- you're expanding all over and doing things I really wanted you to right from the beginning," Trump said. "I used to say, 'Tim, you've got to start doing it over here,' and you really have. You really put a big investment in our country. We appreciate it very much, Tim Apple."
Trump just called Apple CEO Tim Cook "Tim Apple" pic.twitter.com/gTHHtjWvc9
-- Sean O'Kane (@sokane1)
Trump is known for both deliberately and accidentally changing the names of famous people. He once called Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson "Marillyn Lockheed," and has referred to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos as "Jeff Bozo," mainly because his newspaper the Washington Post has regularly covered the White House in a manner that the president does not prefer.
In Wednesday's meeting Trump said he considered Cook "a friend," if largely because of Apple's hiring sprees and cash repatriation. It's questionable whether the two have a genuine friendship -- the CEO has regularly spoken out against Trump's policies on matters like immigration, LGBT rights, climate change, and Chinese trade. Apple has at least benefited from lowered corporate taxes.
Comments
Also "everyone who carried Apple." Who is inside that classification?
I am not a great fan of Tim Cook's decisions to let the Mac line wither and twist in the wind, to neglect the education market, to do stock buybacks, to pay dividends or to go into the TV/film production business. The headcount also seems excessive for the limited things they do. But my shares do not carry the day.
As to the statement about "everyone who carried Apple", a great deal of Apple's success can be credited to Tim Cook. He took Apple from having the highest cost to the lowest cost in hardware quickly, which gave Apple the cash to grow the company. Those fat 30% margins under Jobs were made possible in part to Tim Cook's work on the supply chain. Credit is due and not in dispute.
Over the years, Steve increased Tim's responsibilities and power. When Jobs look a medical leave of absence in 2007, Cook was his hand-chosen successor to become Chief Executive; for sure Jobs could have offered the position to someone else or ask the board to find a temporary CEO.
Tim was offered the same CEO position four years later when Jobs took another medical leave of absence. Again, Jobs could have offered it to someone else.
Finally, when Jobs knew he was terminally ill and stepped down as Chairman of the Board, he asked the Board to have Tim take over for good. Again, Jobs could have requested the board to find someone else (either internally or externally).
I'd say that Tim Cook is as worthy as anyone else to represent the legacy of Apple based on Steve's repeated votes of confidence.
If anyone is making an issue out of this like they would toward a friend, then great. Enjoy. Otherwise, your hypocrisy is showing.
Reminds me of Michael Scott’s “brilliant” ability to remember names. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CCUADvwyPUE
It is a disgrace how the Mac has been handled under his "leadership". It is a disgrace how he has politicized the company and it will backfire on him spectacularly in the long run.