Tim Prepare dinner held a gathering on Friday with Donald J. Trump at Mar-a-Lago, marking the primary time that Apple’s chief government has met with the president-elect since voters elected him to a second time period final month.
Mr. Prepare dinner and Mr. Trump later dined on the patio at Mar-a-Lago, in line with two individuals with data of the assembly. The 2 males had a heat relationship throughout Mr. Trump’s first time period — a lot hotter than Mr. Trump’s with different tech executives, like Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg or Google’s Sundar Pichai, each of whom not too long ago had their very own meals with Mr. Trump.
An Apple spokesman declined to remark. A spokesman for Mr. Trump didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The assembly affords an opportunity for Mr. Prepare dinner to hunt Mr. Trump’s assist on a number of points that would problem Apple’s enterprise within the coming years, together with stress on the App Retailer from European regulators and the potential that new tariffs might put the corporate’s iPhone enterprise in danger.
Mr. Trump has been receptive to these appeals prior to now. Throughout a podcast interview in October, Mr. Trump mentioned he listened sympathetically as Mr. Prepare dinner complained to him on a name final month about European regulators who’ve fined Apple $2 billion for utilizing the App Retailer to thwart competitors.
“I’m not going to allow them to make the most of our firms,” Mr. Trump recalled telling Mr. Prepare dinner. “That gained’t be occurring.”
Mr. Prepare dinner has change into one thing of a mannequin for company executives trying to keep on good phrases with Mr. Trump. Throughout Mr. Trump’s first time period, the president heaped reward on Mr. Prepare dinner, saying that he preferred that Mr. Prepare dinner referred to as him straight to debate enterprise and financial points. The strategy helped Mr. Prepare dinner construct a private relationship with Mr. Trump and helped Apple keep away from tariffs on lots of its merchandise, even because the Trump administration cracked down on different firms manufacturing in China.
In distinction, different tech giants have spent the final month working to restore injury of their relationships with Mr. Trump. Along with Mr. Zuckerberg and Mr. Pichai, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is scheduled to satisfy with Mr. Trump subsequent week. Meta and Amazon additionally mentioned that they might donate $1 million to Mr. Trump’s inaugural fund.
In 2017, Mr. Prepare dinner began to construct a relationship with the Trump administration by attending to know Mr. Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner. He would typically name them to speak about coverage issues and the potential ramifications of points like tariffs on Apple.
Since neither Ms. Trump nor Mr. Kushner are anticipated to be concerned within the upcoming administration, Mr. Prepare dinner could should forge new allies on this subsequent White Home, particularly on points crucial to Apple’s enterprise, like manufacturing and commerce.
Mr. Prepare dinner was among the many many chief executives in expertise who sought to flatter Mr. Trump after his election. He posted congratulations on X and mentioned, “We look ahead to partaking with you and your administration to assist be certain america continues to steer with and be fueled by ingenuity, innovation, and creativity.”
