Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO, John Ternus to Take Over
Tech leaders and former President Trump react to the leadership transition at Apple.
Quick Look
- Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple CEO after nearly 15 years, with John Ternus set to take over on September 1.
- Cook will become executive chairman.
- The tech industry and former President Trump have shared reactions to the transition.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Tim Cook has been the CEO of Apple since 2011, succeeding Steve Jobs. John Ternus currently serves as Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering.
Apple announced on Monday that CEO Tim Cook will be replaced by John Ternus.
Cook has served as the iPhone maker's CEO for nearly 15 years, after the late founder Steve Jobs resigned in 2011.
President Donald Trump praised Cook's tenure in a Truth Social post early Tuesday, saying "it began with a phone call from Tim at the beginning of my First Term." Trump wrote, "Tim Cook had an AMAZING career, almost incomparable, and will go on and continue to do great work for Apple, and whatever else he chooses to work on. Quite simply, Tim Cook is an incredible guy!!!"
"Tim Cook is a legend," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted on X. "I am very thankful for everything he has done and I am very thankful for Apple." Apple and OpenAI first partnered in 2024, integrating ChatGPT into Siri and Apple's writing tools.
Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus VR, also posted on X, writing "RIP Tim Apple," referring to the famous White House incident with Trump in 2019. Trump mistakenly addressed Cook as "Tim Apple" during his first term. Cook made light of the remark, replacing his last name with the Apple logo on his Twitter profile. Luckey left Facebook in 2017 and founded defense contractor Anduril later that year.
Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, told CNBC's Becky Quick that "Apple would not be the Apple of today without Tim Cook." Buffett added, "What he has done with Apple could not be done by anybody I've known." Apple is Berkshire Hathaway's largest shareholding. Buffett also stated, "Covering the world and getting along with countries with all kinds of histories and doing right by the customer, people who worked for him, certainly the shareholders, which we were lucky enough to be one of... he's one of a kind."
Ternus, currently a senior vice president of hardware engineering, will become CEO effective September 1. Cook will then assume the role of executive chairman.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Apple's stock price will likely see a short-term fluctuation but stabilize as the market digests the news.
Likely · Within days
John Ternus will emphasize continuity in Apple's hardware strategy, leveraging his background in hardware engineering.
Likely · Within months
Tim Cook will play an active role as executive chairman, focusing on strategic initiatives or special projects.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What specific strategic shifts, if any, will John Ternus implement as CEO?
- What will be the exact nature of Tim Cook's responsibilities as executive chairman?
- How will Apple's ongoing product development and innovation be affected by this transition?
