‘Paying Tribute to the Tsar’: Apple CEO’s 24-Karat Gold Gift to Trump Sparks Mockery

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Apple CEO Tim Cook sparked a wave of criticism on Wednesday evening when he gifted President Donald Trump a 24-karat gold plaque in the Oval Office.

Cook announced that Apple would invest an additional $100 billion of its manufacturing in the U.S. – under threat of tariffs from Trump. In May, Trump took to social media and declared, “I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhone’s that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else. If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S. Thank your for your attention to this matter!”

Cook addressed the threat while meeting Trump and noted the president “asked us to think about what more we could commit to doing, and Mr. President, we took that challenge very seriously.”

Cook later opened an Apple box and presented Trump with his gift, adding that the base was 24-karat gold made in Utah.

Critics were quick to call out the odd scene. The Atlantic’s Tom Nichols reacted, “These are like the gifts that Politburo members used to give to Brezhnev.”

Former financial journalist James Surowiecki added, “Paying tribute to the Tsar.”

Below are some additional reactions:

__