Apple Scrambles: Five Air Freighters Full Of iPhones Rush To US Amid Trump’s Tariff Blitz

Apple contracted at least five emergency air freight shipments of iPhones and other products from India and China to the U.S., aiming to avoid new tariffs following President Trump’s “Liberation Day” blitz last Wednesday.

“Factories in India and China and other key locations had been shipping products to the US in anticipation of the higher tariffs,” The Times of India reported, citing a source familiar with the situation. 

The source continued: “The reserves that arrived at lower duty will temporarily insulate the company from the higher prices that it will need to pay for new shipments under the revised tax rates.”

Apple’s emergency stockpiling of iPhones and AirPods—primarily manufactured in India and China—will allow the company to maintain current pricing on exports to the U.S. The company faces a 26% tariff on shipments from India and a 54% tariff on goods from China. Trump made threats earlier today of possibly doubling tariff levels by 50% on China. 

Trade data via the supply chain platform Sayari shows that Foxconn India is a major supplier for CEO Tim Cook.

Here’s more color on Apple’s global supply chain that resides primarily in Asia (or the region where Trump unleashed a tariff bazooka): 

• India, where Apple is increasingly building iPhones and AirPods, will have a 26% tariff.

• Vietnam, where the company now makes some AirPods, iPads, Apple Watches and Macs, will be hit with a 46% levy.

• Malaysia, where Apple is increasingly producing Macs, will have a 24% tariff.

• Thailand, where the company also makes some Macs, will get a 37% levy. Ireland, within the European Union, gets a 20% tariff. Apple produces some iMacs there.

• Indonesia, which will soon begin making AirTags and mesh for the AirPods Max headphones, gets a 32% tariff.

• The latest tariffs will be 34% for China, bringing its total level to 54%. But the overall picture suggests Apple isn’t going to get as much benefit as hoped from diversifying away from that country. Apple will still be taking a hit on iPhones made in India, AirPods made in Vietnam and Macs made elsewhere in Asia.

Apple is panicked about the tariffs. The question remains if Cook will be able to maintain the current psychological pricing threshold for the next iteration of the iPhone at $999.