Tim Cook goes quiet as his influence fades amid growing tensions with Donald Trump

In the run-up to President Donald Trump’s recent trip to West Asia, the White House encouraged chief executives and representatives of many US companies to join him. Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, declined, said two people familiar with the decision.

The choice appeared to irritate Trump. As he hopscotched from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates, Trump took a number of shots at Cook.