Trump claims victory for creating 'hundreds' of Apple jobs that already existed

Trump tried to take credit for Apple jobs in Texas, but the company is already in the state — and those jobs were actually recently in question because of Trump’s trade war.

“Great news! @Apple announced that it is building its new Mac Pro in Texas,” Trump wrote on Monday. “This means hundreds of American jobs in Austin and for suppliers across the Country.”

Apple has been producing the Mac Pro computer in Austin since 2013.

After Trump launched his trade war with China, Apple’s products were affected and the company floated the idea of moving production of the Mac Pro to China to avoid Trump’s tariffs.

The company sought a waiver on the tariffs and Trump insisted that would not happen.

“Apple will not be given Tariff waiver, or relief, for Mac Pro parts that are made in China. Make them in the USA, no Tariffs!” he wrote in July.

Just two months later, Trump gave in.

“Apple Inc. gained U.S. approval to avoid tariffs on Chinese imports for the upcoming Mac Pro computer, even though President Donald Trump indicated the company’s waiver requests would be rejected,” Bloomberg reported on September 19.

A few days later, citing Trump’s concession, Apple said they would keep Mac Pro production in Texas.

Trump likes to make announcements about companies purportedly bringing jobs into the United States based on his persuasion and sales ability.

But often, these announcements are either completely fabricated or have nothing to do with Trump or his policies.

Last June, Trump claimed that U.S. Steel was “opening up six major facilities” in the United States. But the company soon told the Washington Post no such openings were planned.

Just this March, GM announced that they would be closing a plant in Lordstown, Ohio, despite Trump’s claim on the campaign trail that he would bring back those jobs. The company has also noted that it has lost over $1 billion thanks to the trade war.

Over 716,000 plant workers across the country have lost their jobs under Trump despite his boasts to the contrary.

Apple jobs nearly went overseas, thanks in part to Trump, and it took a major concession from him to keep those jobs in America. Now, amidst a torrent of bad news, he wants credit for something he didn’t do.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.