Apple Denied Tariff Relief on Mac Pro Parts Despite Keeping Manufacturing in the US
Despite Apple's decision to keep some assembly operations in the U.S., the U.S. gonvernment did not exempt from tariffs five Chinese-made components for the upcoming Mac Pro computer.
The U.S. Trade Representative’s office denied Apple’s request for relief from 25% tariffs on the optional wheels for Apple’s Mac Pro, a circuit board for managing input and output ports, power adapter, charging cable and a cooling system for the computer’s processor.
In letters to Apple posted online, USTR said the five exclusion requests were denied because they “failed to show that the imposition of additional duties on the particular product would cause severe economic harm to you or other U.S. interests.”
Last week, Apple announced it would make new Mac Pro computers at its existing plant in Austin, Texas, after originally considering shifting production to China like its other products. The move followed an announcement this month that the U.S. trade office had agreed to Apple’s request for tariff waivers on 10 of 15 Chinese parts used in the Mac Pro.
Apple didn’t provide any comment.
Apple had applauded the Trump administration for its tariff relief on the other components, including the computer’s casing and accessories like the mouse and trackpad.