President Trump Says Apple CEO Tim Cook Promised to Build Three Factories in U.S.

President Donald Trump recently claimed that Apple CEO Tim Cook promised to build three new manufacturing plants in the U.S.

President Trump said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that Apple CEO Tim Cook had personally promised to build three Apple manufacturing plants in the U.S., a change from the company’s usual production methods which involve outsourcing development to foreign countries.

“I spoke to [Mr. Cook], he’s promised me three big plants — big, big, big,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal. “I said you know, Tim, unless you start building your plants in this country, I won’t consider my administration an economic success. He called me, and he said they are going forward.”

Apple previously promised to invest $1 billion in a fund to promote advanced manufacturing jobs in the U.S. but did not respond to the Wall Street Journal’s request for comment on President Trump’s claims about new U.S. manufacturing plants.

Apple supplier Corning spoke to CNBC  last week, stating that they would “immediately” invest $500 million and create 1000 new jobs for U.S. workers. Another Apple supplier, Foxconn, has reportedly been eyeing new U.S. manufacturing plants for the production of display panels, according to the Wall Street Journal.

On Wednesday, it was reported that Donald Trump would announce the opening of a new Foxconn plant in Wisconsin.