Apple faced pressure from the White House to use Intel's fabrication plants while negotiating relief from semiconductor tariffs last summer. In August 2025, CEO Tim Cook lobbied the Trump administration to drop a proposed 100 percent tariff on semiconductor imports, which would have significantly raised costs across Apple's product line.

Apple reportedly secured an exemption after pledging hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S. investments. During these meetings, President Trump and commerce secretary Howard Lutnick urged Cook to utilize Intel's plants. Trump later announced via Truth Social that Apple would begin using Intel-made chips in some products, sending Intel shares to record highs.

Reports indicate Apple plans to have Intel manufacture chips for both Mac laptops and iPhones, though the company will likely remain reliant on TSMC for the majority of its custom silicon. This arrangement is seen as part of a wider effort to prop up Intel, which recently saw the U.S. government convert $9 billion in federal grants into a 10 percent equity stake. Other companies, including Nvidia and SpaceX, have reportedly signed similar deals under administration pressure.