California Governor Gavin Newsom recently said in an interview with the New York Times that the close interaction between Apple CEO Tim Cook and U.S. President Trump, although tinged with "crony capitalism," is to some extent forced by his job responsibilities in the current political and business environment.
Newsom said many observers were uncomfortable with Apple's dealings with the federal government under Trump and wanted the tech giant to fight back harder or even publicly confront the White House, but Cook chose a different path. He bluntly said that what hurts him most is that small businesses and farmers do not have the opportunity to obtain tariff exemptions with just one phone call like Apple does.
When asked about Cook's previous gift of a golden glass commemorative plaque to Trump, Newsom said that this gesture of "must show loyalty to the 'leader' and kiss the ring of power" is a typical manifestation of "crony capitalism." However, Newsom also emphasized that Cook shoulders the responsibility of shareholders and "he has work to complete." Therefore, he is more dissatisfied with the distortion caused by the system rather than pointing the finger directly at Cook personally.
Newsom pointed out that in order to cater to the preferences of the Trump administration, some large companies have made substantial adjustments to corporate policies and even values, and have even contributed to the spread of hatred and misinformation, which has gone far beyond the boundaries of normal performance of fiduciary responsibilities. In his view, those people and institutions that actively participate in and promote this distorted political and economic ecology beyond the scope of their "fiduciary responsibilities" are truly "unacceptable" objects.
The report also pointed out that Apple has made certain compromises in its external posture, such as presenting commemorative plaques to the president, attending controversial dinners, and holding high-profile announcements for planned U.S. investment projects, but the company's own core stance has not fundamentally changed. Apple still openly supports its gay CEO, continues to promote diversity, equity and inclusion projects, actively participates in Pride Month activities, and emphasizes the concept of "diversity makes us stronger" through initiatives such as barrier-free technology.
At the level of specific interests, Apple has obtained multiple tariff exemptions including semiconductor products through interaction with the Trump administration, thereby avoiding a sharp increase in product prices. At the same time, Apple has basically not been subject to administrative intervention in green energy and emission reduction projects. Some analysts believe that compared to some technology companies that actively adjust the company's direction to cater to the White House, Apple is using relatively limited "courtesy costs" in exchange for a stable business environment.
The article finally pointed out that Newsom himself is also a controversial figure in American politics, but his views on Apple's situation and its political position are considered to be quite representative. Some believe that other technology companies may be able to learn lessons from Apple's approach, not only meeting the government's rigid requirements for compliance and investment, but also trying to avoid "excessive loyalty" in terms of values and corporate governance, so as to reduce long-term harm to society and democratic systems.