What simply occurred? President Trump says that Apple has agreed to work with Intel to design and construct its chips in America. In a Fact Social put up, Trump complained that “Silly Presidents” had “let Taiwan and others steal our Semiconductor Factories.”
“After I received my Second Time period (Third, truly!), it was clear America wanted its Semiconductor Business to return again to the usA. We design the whole lot, however we have to BUILD it right here, NOW!” Trump wrote. “So I made a decision to assist Intel as a result of we have to design and construct our Chips proper right here in America.”
The put up comes simply over a month after reviews that Apple and Intel had been engaged on a chip manufacturing deal. The discussions had been underway for greater than a yr and lately developed into a proper association.
It is no secret that Apple’s reliance on TSMC is changing into strained as AI chipmakers similar to Nvidia and AMD battle it out for essentially the most superior manufacturing capability. Partnering with Intel would assist Apple improve its chip capability because it diversifies its manufacturing base.
Apple and Intel didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark exterior common enterprise hours, so for now the announcement stays a Trump put up reasonably than a joint affirmation. There are additionally questions round timing, scale, course of nodes, yields, and which parts Intel would make.
If this proves to be true, the deal can be a serious win for Intel Foundry. Staff Blue has spent years making an attempt to persuade exterior prospects that it may once more compete on the high finish of semiconductor manufacturing. Touchdown even a restricted slice of Apple’s enterprise would give that effort an enormous enhance.
Apple has spent the last decade up to now shifting Macs away from Intel-designed processors after launching its personal Arm-based M-series chips in 2020. This time, nonetheless, Intel can be appearing as a contract producer for chips Apple designs itself.
Trump has made home manufacturing one of many greatest problems with his second time period, particularly in semiconductors. Apple pledged $500 billion in US funding firstly of 2025, which arrived amid tariff stress on Chinese language imports and doable semiconductor duties. The corporate later unveiled one other $100 billion US funding plan after Trump repeatedly criticized Apple for assembling iPhones abroad.
Trump’s put up additionally mentions the US authorities’s funding in Intel. Early final yr, his administration transformed nearly $9 billion in federal funding into Intel fairness, giving it roughly a 10% stake. The federal government has additionally backed tariffs of round 100% on imported semiconductors, with exemptions for firms producing within the US or promising to take action.
This is not an indication that US-made iPhones are immediately life like. As we have famous earlier than, shifting ultimate iPhone meeting to America can be wildly troublesome, probably costly, and time consuming. Chips are a special matter, although. Dependable US capability from Intel might give Apple somewhat extra respiratory room on the planet’s tightest chip market.
