Shifting smartphone production a fairy tale, say experts as Trump expands Apple tariff threat

WASHINGTON: Experts have dismissed US President Donald Trump’s hopes of shifting smartphone production to the United States with the threat of a 25 percent tariff unless their devices are built there as “a fairytale that’s not feasible”.

Trump had initially said the tariff would apply only to Apple — an unusual move to single out a specific company in trade policy. However, he later expanded the threat to include all smartphone makers.