Trump claims Apple and Intel finalized US chip deal

In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump claims Apple has finalized a deal with Intel to design and manufacture chips in the United States. In the previous months, reports came out that the companies had already signed a preliminary deal for the partnership, but they have yet to confirm the news. "Stupid presidents took our economy for granted, and let Taiwan and others steal our semiconductor factories," Trump said in his post.

The Wall Street Journal reported back in May that the companies had reached some sort of agreement for Intel to produce some of the chips powering Apple's devices in the US. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reportedly met with Apple leadership repeatedly over the course of a year to convince it to do business with Intel again. Apple and Intel used to have a close relationship until the latter switched to homegrown silicon, made primarily by Taiwan's TSMC. Ming-Chi Kuo, a famous Apple analyst, then reported days later that the iPhone-maker had already started testing systems-on-chip built on Intel's 18A-P process.

Kuo said back then that Intel will be testing production for Apple processors throughout 2026 before starting actual production and delivery next year. Intel is expected to manufacture chips for Apple iPhones and Macs at its Oregon, Arizona and Ohio fabs. Even if Apple does start working with Intel, TSMC will still handle most of its chip manufacturing.