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President Donald Trump posted an extensive personal tribute to Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, describing him as an "incredible guy" and revealing new details about their relationship throughout his two presidential terms.
The publication came a day after Apple officially announced that Cook will step down as CEO on September 1, 2026 to take on the role of Executive Chairman of the Board, being succeeded by John Ternus, the current Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering.
In the text, Trump recounted that his relationship with Cook began with a phone call at the start of his first term. "I had a pretty big problem that only I, as president, could solve," Trump wrote, adding that most people would have paid millions of dollars to consultants to manage that type of situation, with no guarantee of success.
Trump described how, throughout his "five years as president" —referring to the total of his two terms— Cook would call him moderately and he would assist him whenever he could. "After three or four GREAT HELPS, I started telling people, anyone who would listen, that this guy is an incredible manager and leader," he wrote.
The president particularly praised Cook's ability to deal with him directly without resorting to expensive intermediaries: "He makes these calls, I help him—although not always, because at times he asks for too much—and he achieves the goal quickly, without spending a dime on those costly consultants who sometimes deliver and sometimes don’t."
Trump also humorously referred to his famous slip-up from 2019, when he publicly called Cook "Tim Apple" at an official event. In the post, he wrote "Tim Apple (Cook!)" in parentheses, reframing the episode within his narrative about their relationship.
The president also favorably compared Cook to the co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs. "If Steve hadn't been taken from this world so young and had led the company instead of Tim, the business would have done well, but nowhere near as well as it has under Tim," he stated.
The relationship between Trump and Cook has been one of the most active between a U.S. president and a tech CEO, although not without tensions. In February 2025, Apple announced an investment of 500 billion dollars in the United States following a meeting with Trump, which included data centers, chips, a plant in Texas, and 20,000 jobs.
However, in May 2025, Trump threatened to impose a tariff of at least 25% if Apple did not move the production of iPhones from India to American soil. Analysts warned at that time that manufacturing the iPhone in the U.S. could triple its price to $3,500 per unit.
Trump concluded his statement with a strong assessment: "Tim Cook has had an AMAZING career, almost unparalleled, and he will continue to do a great job for Apple and in whatever he chooses to undertake. Simply put, Tim Cook is an incredible guy."
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