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| Tim Cook |
Did the cat have your tongue, Tim?
Apple CEO Tim Cook took part in Donald Trump's world of "fake news" during the president's tour of the Austin factory that has been making Apple products for the last six years.
The president claimed credit for "opening the plant," which he pitched to be part of his program to lure manufacturing jobs back to the US. Perhaps, president Obama didn't officially preside over the factory's "real" opening in 2013.
"For me, this is a very special day," said triumphant Trump, standing alongside the mute Apple chief.
Cook then expressed thanks to the Trump team for its support in "pulling today off and getting us this far. It would not be possible without them."
Let's give Tim some slack.
His statement could be construed as meaning Apple's PR team could not have pulled off the publicity event without the cooperation of the president.
Or, Cook may have simply decided that appeasing our reality-challenged twitterer-in-chief, rather than setting the record straight, is the road to potential corporate riches.
Trump later tweeted: "Today, I opened a major Apple Manufacturing plant in Texas that will bring high paying jobs back to the US."
Whether he likes it or not, Cook will play a leading role in Trump's 2020 presidential run. It's certain that the Trump re-election gurus will use footage of the Texas photo-op with the Apple CEO, a high-profile leader in the technology sector.
And then again, Cook may have held his tongue because Apple wants waivers from Trump's tariffs on its iPhones, iPads, MacBooks and Apple Watches that are made in China.
Cook's silence may yield a big payday for Apple as Trump promised to look into the tariff waivers.
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