As Tim Cook steps away from the role of Apple’s CEO, President Donald Trump has issued a complimentary public tribute to ‘Tim Apple’s’ journey through the years at the trillion-dollar firm, calling him an “amazing manager and leader”, comparing his achievements at the company as “almost incomparable.” However, the public reaction to Trump’s congratulatory post, especially the tone, has been controversial at best.
Cook, who will now oversee the transition of his post to John Ternus over the rest of the year, moves on to the role of Executive Chairman on Apple’s board. Trump took to Truth Social to extend his wishes, explaining in detail the work relations between him and Cook during his tenure at the White House.
In the lengthy statement, Trump recalled how his relationship with Cook began early in his first term as the US President, when the Apple chief personally called him for help on a significant issue that only the White House could resolve. Trump expressed surprise and admiration that Cook reached out directly rather than through expensive intermediaries.
Trump highlights his ‘personal and professional’ bond
“I have always been a big fan of Tim Cook, and likewise, Steve Jobs, but if Steve was not taken from the Planet Earth so young, and ran the company instead of Tim, the company would have done well, but nowhere near as well as it has under Tim,” Trump wrote.
In his Truth Social post, Trump detailed multiple calls from Cook during his presidency, stating how he helped “where he could,” though he noted Cook could sometimes be “too aggressive in his ask.” Trump contrasted this with consultants who charged millions for the same task but delivered little.
“When I got the call I said, wow, it’s Tim Apple (Cook!) calling, how big is that? I was very impressed with myself to have the head of Apple calling to “kiss my a**,” wrote Trump, cheekily referencing the post where he publicly called him out Tim Apple in a social media post. Cook, at the time, had updated his profile name to ‘Tim Apple’, using the Apple logo to reference Trump’s post in a subtle display of humour.
The US President went on to share how he would help Cook and Apple multiple times in his first tenure, and how Cook would “get the job done instantly’, praising him for his managerial prowess.
“Tim Cook had an AMAZING career, almost incomparable, and will go on and continue to do great work for Apple,” praised Trump.
“Quite simply, Tim Cook is an incredible guy!!!” he concluded.
Trump’s post on Cook draws controversy
While Trump and Cook may have had a surprisingly warm relationship, despite occasional policy disagreements on issues like tariffs and manufacturing, the post on Truth Social ends up praising Cook’s relationship with Trump during the years.
The post, however, has sparked widespread discussion online, with many underlining Trump’s characteristically self-referential style. One user wrote, “Man wrote an entire appreciation post for one of the biggest CEOs in the world just to remind everyone how great he is. The main character energy is undefeated.”
Another user highlighted the same, writing, “The art of saying waaaay too much, without really saying anything.”
With Cook slowly transitioning into his new role, Apple’s future now lies in the hands of John Ternus, who is expected to push the multi-trillion-dollar tech brand further in an era of AI.