On May 27, U.S. President Trump unexpectedly threatened to impose a 25% tariff on all iPhones manufactured outside the United States, catching Apple Inc. and relevant U.S. government departments off guard. An analysis by The New York Times suggests that this threat might be linked to Apple CEO Tim Cook's decision not to accompany Trump on his trip to the Middle East, which Trump perceived as an act of disrespect or 'revenge'.
