Trump says Apple won't get tax waivers or cuts for new Mac Pro parts made in China

[nanoguy]

In context: Even if you've been living under a rock, you may have heard that the Trump administration is looking to impose tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of consumer products that are assembled in China. Naturally, big tech companies are trying to fight it because outsourcing is what made their businesses very profitable.

Earlier this morning, President Trump didn't resist the temptation to tweet yet another loud message aimed at big tech, and more specifically Apple. The U.S. president says his administration won't be getting any tax exemptions on the new Mac Pro, which is not unexpected if you consider his general stance on products made in China.

Trump had previously said there wouldn't be any tariffs for companies that can prove they can only source parts from China. This is a big pain point for Apple, for whom the previous Mac Pro was the only high-end product being manufactured in the U.S. and heralded as a great example that it can be done if companies want to, but not without some challenges.

A recent report from the Wall Street Journal said that Apple chose China-based Quanta to manufacture the new Mac Pro, so it applied for tariff exemptions for a number of parts earlier this month. Seeing as the U.S. president has publicly rejected the deal, the Cupertino giant is left with 25% tariffs on those parts, as well as a PR nightmare that turned investor optimism down a notch.

Apple will not be given Tariff waiver, or relief, for Mac Pro parts that are made in China. Make them in the USA, no Tariffs!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2019

To put things in perspective, Apple's new Mac Pro starts at $6,000 for the base model -- and while little else is known about the price matrix, the best guess is that a top of the line model will burn a $45,000 hole in your pocket, unless you decide to spend it on a Tesla Model 3 with autopilot.

It's not clear if Apple will raise the price for the higher end models as a result, and one could certainly argue that it wouldn't be fair for consumers since it isn't even a good cheese grater. PC makers Intel, Microsoft, HP and Dell face a similar conundrum for their lower end products designed for mass appeal, and they've recently shared their own, collective criticism on the Trump tariffs.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/81165-trump-apple-wont-get-tax-waivers-or-cuts.html

 

[lipe123]

Oh the irony, the man who hasn't paid his taxes in YEARS, while being worth millions, are telling others they are not allowed to cut operating costs by legal means.

 

[Jeff Re]

I see he fixed his spelling error from "waver."

 

[Lew Zealand]

Great, now the monitor stand will be $1199. And Monitor Stand Max will be $1350.

 

[Nobina]

Great, now the monitor stand will be $1199. And Monitor Stand Max will be $1350.

It is worth every penny.

 

[psycros]

Oh the irony, the man who hasn't paid his taxes in YEARS, while being worth millions, are telling others they are not allowed to cut operating costs by legal means.

Source?

 

[OptimumSlinky]

Relevant AF: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/28/technology/iphones-apple-china-made.html

 

[OptimumSlinky]

Oh the irony, the man who hasn't paid his taxes in YEARS, while being worth millions, are telling others they are not allowed to cut operating costs by legal means.

Source?

Other than the fact he refuses to release his tax returns because he knows what they'll show?

 

[tkabou]

Oh the irony, the man who hasn't paid his taxes in YEARS, while being worth millions, are telling others they are not allowed to cut operating costs by legal means.

You are clearly ignorant of the tax code. He never evaded paying taxes, just used the existing tax code to his advantage. Anyone with a business understands this, and it's not like our tax dollars are being wisely spent as is, on say healthcare for illegal aliens...

 

[lipe123]

Oh the irony, the man who hasn't paid his taxes in YEARS, while being worth millions, are telling others they are not allowed to cut operating costs by legal means.

You are clearly ignorant of the tax code. He never evaded paying taxes, just used the existing tax code to his advantage. Anyone with a business understands this, and it's not like our tax dollars are being wisely spent as is, on say healthcare for illegal aliens...

No sir the ignorant one here is yourself for saying it's ok to dodge paying tax when you are super rich because you can. Also how tax is spent is how you vote, so if you are not happy with it then vote for someone thats not a soulless capitalist.

 

[Stormbreaker]

If Apple can charge premium price for their products then they should be ready to pay premium wages for their workers. Why look for cheap labour. Workers in China work for less but Apple sells their products at the same price to them.

 

[loki1944]

Outstanding. Definitely geeting my vote this next election as well. A president with the cajones to put America first.

 

[Kashim]

Oh the irony, the man who hasn't paid his taxes in YEARS, while being worth millions, are telling others they are not allowed to cut operating costs by legal means.

You are clearly ignorant of the tax code. He never evaded paying taxes, just used the existing tax code to his advantage. Anyone with a business understands this, and it's not like our tax dollars are being wisely spent as is, on say healthcare for illegal aliens...

It takes an extremely stable genius to create nearly a billion dollar loss in a single year! Also, it was recently revealed that back in the 80's he lost more money than any other private individual in the United States, FOUR years in a row. Well, a record is a record I suppose, right?

Orange Thanos spent the first 70 years of his life doing everything possible to enrich himself at the expense of others, but suddenly he's going to help the entire country? Yeah, racist grandpas in their 70's suddenly change their personality all the time!

And this ridiculous nonsense about free healthcare to illegal aliens is right up there with other Fox News talking points like every Democrat wants to take away your guns, they all want abortion on demand, etc.

In other news, I heard the Trump administration is developing a new Jesus shaped fighter jet that drops gay people on ISIS and runs on the tears of refugee children. Now you Right wing nut jobs can shoot hot sticky wads into the air as you high-five each other.

 

[Kashim]

Oh the irony, the man who hasn't paid his taxes in YEARS, while being worth millions, are telling others they are not allowed to cut operating costs by legal means.

Actually, he didn't pay taxes for many years because his losses were so great he was able to use the maximum deductible and pay nothing. This is perfectly legal, but would be extremely embarrassing to someone like Orange Julius if it were publicly revealed. Also, after declaring multiple bankruptcies in the 90's no bank in the USA would lend him any money, so he's neck deep in foreign debt from Russia, China, etc.

 

[Hexic]

Oh the irony, the man who hasn't paid his taxes in YEARS, while being worth millions, are telling others they are not allowed to cut operating costs by legal means.

You are clearly ignorant of the tax code. He never evaded paying taxes, just used the existing tax code to his advantage. Anyone with a business understands this, and it's not like our tax dollars are being wisely spent as is, on say healthcare for illegal aliens...

It takes an extremely stable genius to create nearly a billion dollar loss in a single year! Also, it was recently revealed that back in the 80's he lost more money than any other private individual in the United States, FOUR years in a row. Well, a record is a record I suppose, right?

Orange Thanos spent the first 70 years of his life doing everything possible to enrich himself at the expense of others, but suddenly he's going to help the entire country? Yeah, racist grandpas in their 70's suddenly change their personality all the time!

And this ridiculous nonsense about free healthcare to illegal aliens is right up there with other Fox News talking points like every Democrat wants to take away your guns, they all want abortion on demand, etc.

In other news, I heard the Trump administration is developing a new Jesus shaped fighter jet that drops gay people on ISIS and runs on the tears of refugee children. Now you Right wing nut jobs can shoot hot sticky wads into the air as you high-five each other.

You just bashed the generalization of all Democrats with Republicans and their Fox News talking points, Jesus fighters, and ‘Right wing nut jobs’ in one paragraph, and then went to generalize all Republicans in the next paragraph.

Come on my man, at least remain logically consistent in your statements. One doesn’t even need to begin tearing into the meat of your fallacies at this point.

 

[treetops]

The tech company secrets he is trying to protect don't want the tariffs. Trump keeps saying the Chinese pay for the import tariff.... idk how Trump supporters can standby and let him talk to them like their 5 year olds. He must have a very low opinion of his base.

 

[Danny101]

Regardless to how you feel about the current trade war there's no reason why Apple should get special treatment over any other tech company. Surely they know this. Probably a strategy in an effort to bust up the trade war.

 

[toooooot]

Great, now the monitor stand will be $1199. And Monitor Stand Max will be $1350.

I will pay twice that amount if it comes in rose gold color.

 

[captaincranky]

...[ ]...In other news, I heard the Trump administration is developing a new Jesus shaped fighter jet that drops gay people on ISIS and runs on the tears of refugee children....[ ]...

Priceless! You should write for Steven Colbert.

 

[captaincranky]

Regardless to how you feel about the current trade war there's no reason why Apple should get special treatment over any other tech company. Surely they know this. Probably a strategy in an effort to bust up the trade war.

At the profit margins Apple operates, Tim Cook should be paying the tariffs out of his stock profits.

 

[JB3543]

Oh the irony, the man who hasn't paid his taxes in YEARS, while being worth millions, are telling others they are not allowed to cut operating costs by legal means.

You are clearly ignorant of the tax code. He never evaded paying taxes, just used the existing tax code to his advantage. Anyone with a business understands this, and it's not like our tax dollars are being wisely spent as is, on say healthcare for illegal aliens...

No sir the ignorant one here is yourself for saying it's ok to dodge paying tax when you are super rich because you can. Also how tax is spent is how you vote, so if you are not happy with it then vote for someone thats not a soulless capitalist.

No sir, the ignorant one here is you. Trump isn't "dodging" taxes, he's using the tax code (that applies to everyone) to his advantage. Do you expect him to do otherwise? It's sort of how you get Food Stamps - you qualify, so you get them. Get it? It's not overly hard. "Soulless capitalist"? Are you a disgruntled 5 year-old who's been listening to your bitter parents too long?

 

[Darth Shiv]

Oh the irony, the man who hasn't paid his taxes in YEARS, while being worth millions, are telling others they are not allowed to cut operating costs by legal means.

Actually this is one massive thing that he is actually doing something positive about. There is NO WAY a first world country can compete on level footing with Chinese worker wages and there is a reason for it. Conditions, standard of living, regulations on working, OH&S and much much more. Basically first world countries are torching their manufacturing (and agriculture) industries with free trade. NOTHING is being done about it in capitalist countries. Those jobs are dead. Trump to his credit is actually addressing the inherent disadvantage advanced economies have. And let's look at who's winning here. The owners of the businesses and NOT the actual laborers.

This is EXACTLY the point he relentlessly attacked Hillary on. It is the same point that Australian Governments are not addressing. And it is part of the reason Brexit happened. Locals want their job markets back or want some sort of job market future and those Governments are pretending there is no problem and global free trade is some economic utopia. Well not for workers it's not.

 

[captaincranky]

No sir, the ignorant one here is you. Trump isn't "dodging" taxes, he's using the tax code (that applies to everyone) to his advantage. Do you expect him to do otherwise? It's sort of how you get Food Stamps - you qualify, so you get them. Get it? It's not overly hard. "Soulless capitalist"? Are you a disgruntled 5 year-old who's been listening to your bitter parents too long?

So much Kool-aid you've drank, and didn't save me a blessed drop.

 

[Lounds]

The problem America has it has a trade deficit with China, and China can manufacture goods more efficiently and cheaper than American companies could ever dream of. The US Economy is built on Debt and the petrol dollar, everything else is just services and the car companies (which don't really exist outside of the US apart from Ford and GM) oh and of course the weapons industry...

 

[JB3543]

No sir, the ignorant one here is you. Trump isn't "dodging" taxes, he's using the tax code (that applies to everyone) to his advantage. Do you expect him to do otherwise? It's sort of how you get Food Stamps - you qualify, so you get them. Get it? It's not overly hard. "Soulless capitalist"? Are you a disgruntled 5 year-old who's been listening to your bitter parents too long?

So much Kool-aid you've drank, and didn't save me a blessed drop.

Where's the Kool aid? What part of what I said is not reality? And you really don't deserve any Kool aid.