Apple said it will begin making some Mac Mini desktop computers in the United States for the first time, as the company moves to increase domestic production while facing pressure from President Donald Trump to shift more manufacturing to the country.
Houston Expansion And New Production Plans
The company announced on Tuesday that it plans a “significant expansion” of its facility in Houston, Texas, to manufacture Mac Mini devices and artificial intelligence servers. Apple said the move follows a pledge made last year to increase its investment in the United States by $600 billion.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment on how many Mac Mini units will be produced in the United States. The compact computers are currently made in Asia and account for less than 5% of Mac sales.
“Apple is deeply committed to the future of American manufacturing, and we’re proud to significantly expand our footprint in Houston with the production of Mac mini starting later this year,” chief executive Tim Cook said in a statement. The company also said it plans to set up an advanced manufacturing training center at the Houston site.
Political Pressure And Tariff Context
Trump has urged manufacturers across multiple industries to move production to the United States and last year singled out Apple, saying he would raise tariffs on its products if the company did not shift iPhone manufacturing to the country.
Apple has been affected by the administration’s tariffs, spending more than $3 billion on the levies. After the Supreme Court blocked many of the import taxes last week, Trump said he would introduce a 10% global rate, then said on Saturday that the rate would be 15%.
Cook donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee. In August, he stood alongside the president to announce an additional U.S. investment pledge and said at the time that Apple’s investments were already producing results.
Supply Chain And Market Impact
The White House has argued that the administration’s policies are pushing companies to invest more in the United States, though analysts have said changes to Apple’s supply chain would take time.
Apple earns about half of its revenue from iPhone sales, with those devices manufactured in China, Vietnam, and India.
Apple shares rose more than 2% on Tuesday.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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