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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?