Apple spends less on lobbying, but Tim Cook has close ties to Trump
Although Apple has spent less on lobbying than the other tech giants, CEO Tim Cook has hardly had a close relationship with President Donald Trump, reports the Wall Street Journal Tripp Mickle.
Since 2017, Apple has spent nearly $ 18 million on lobbying, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In comparison, Microsoft spent $ 24 million, Facebook spent $ 32 million, Amazon spent $ 36 million, and Alphabet spent $ 47 million.
Still, Cook attends dinners and meetings with Donald Trump, has close ties to Trump's senior adviser Jared Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump, and regularly meets with Trump administration officials such as economic adviser Larry Kudlow, people near Apple and Trump. the administration told the Journal of .
For example, Cook in August, Kushner reached out to explain how upcoming tariffs would increase iPhone prices and hurt competition with other phone companies like Samsung. Within days, the Trump administration exempted iPhones, along with other electronic products, from the tariff plan.
A person close to the administration told the Journal that Cook's conversation with Kushner influenced this decision.
Similarly, Trump refers to Cook as a friend, praises Apple and Cook's business skills, and even called Cook to wish him a happy thank you party, a person familiar with the matter told the Journal.
Still, Cook disagrees with Trump on various issues, such as immigration and climate change, and 97% of Apple employees' donations in the 201[ads1]8 election became Democratic candidates, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Often, Cook or a member of Apple's public affairs team will notify the White House through Kushner or another senior White House official before publicly challenging Trump's policy, former administration officials told the Journal . [19659002] Read more: We checked the neighborhood where Apple is building a new Seattle campus, just blocks from Amazon HQ
Cook, for example, communicated with Trump about his plan to leave the Paris climate agreement after Ivanka Trump asked Cook for help, telling current and former administration officials to the Journal . Trump did not change his mind, but Cook later wrote an email to staff criticizing Trump's decision.
Cook's close ties to the administration may explain that there are relatively low lobbying costs.
