Former President Donald Trump recently shared insights into a conversation he had with Apple CEO Tim Cook about the significant financial penalties imposed on Apple by the European Union. Speaking on the PBD Podcast, Trump claimed that Cook reached out to him to express concerns over billions of dollars in fines and sought his assurance that he would protect U.S. companies from such measures, should he return to office.

EU Fines: A Significant Burden?

According to Trump, Cook shared the staggering details of the EU's actions against Apple, which included a $15 billion fine and an additional $2 billion penalty. Earlier this year, Apple faced a major regulatory setback in Europe for allegedly misusing its market dominance to impose unfair restrictions on music streaming apps. This led to a substantial $2 billion fine as a result of the European Commission's antitrust probes. Furthermore, in a separate tax-related dispute, the EU successfully secured a decision for Apple to pay $14.4 billion in outstanding taxes.

The Implication of Such Fines

During the podcast, Trump recounted that Cook suggested these fines were part of a wider strategy, referring to Europe as 'their enterprise.' Trump assured Cook of his intention to defend U.S. tech giants from what he perceives as unfair international practices, emphasizing, however, that he must first win the next presidential election.

Tech Leaders Engaging with Trump

Cook is not the only high-profile tech executive to engage with Trump recently. The former President also discussed his correspondence with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, concerning unfavorable search results about him. Moreover, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have interacted with Trump in notable ways, with Musk sharing a platform with him at a rally, and Zuckerberg having direct communications over the summer.

Despite attempts to verify these claims, immediate comments from Apple were not available.

This update was initially reported on by The Verge.