Who Owns Apple

Apple 🐔🐔🐔

Capitulation Rank: Capitulating
Category: Online Platforms & Streaming 
Market Cap: $3.00 trillion

Apple CEO Tim Cook personally donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee. In a post-election statement, he congratulated the incoming president, adding: “We look forward to engaging with you and your administration to help make sure the United States continues to lead with and be fueled by ingenuity, innovation and creativity.”

Following the election, Cook dined at Mar-a-Lago with Trump. The two also spoke on the eve of the Jan. 20 inauguration and have reportedly had several discussions since. In his comments about the call, Trump said Apple is “going to make a massive investment in the United States because of our big election win.”

Cook’s ongoing efforts to woo Trump have yielded few benefits for the company. According to The New York Times, “[Cook] has gone from one of Mr. Trump’s most beloved chief executives … to one of the White House’s biggest corporate targets.” In addition, CNN reported in May 2025 that Trump’s tariffs were likely to add nearly a billion dollars in costs to the tech giant — costs that will surely be passed on to U.S. consumers of Apple products.

Cook seems undaunted by the apparent snub. At a White House event in August he announced that Apple would be making a $100-billion investment in hardware and software production in the United States. During the announcement Cook praised Trump and presented the president with a 24-karat gold gift.

October 2025 update: Apple chickens out 

Apparently, showering the president in praise and golden trinkets in the Oval Office wasn’t enough for CEO Tim Cook. In fall 2025, Apple buckled to Trump Justice Department pressure to ban apps such as ICEBlock, which aggregated information about the whereabouts of ICE enforcement efforts to raise awareness in local communities. 

Documenting the public activities of law enforcement and other public officials is a constitutionally protected activity. But don’t tell that to Apple’s Cook, who has banned more than ICEBlock to keep the White House happy: According to 404 Media, Apple has also banned an app, Eyes Up, that preserved TikToks, Instagram reels, news reports and other videos documenting ICE abuses. Following news of these craven decisions, we’ve bumped Apple’s chicken rating from two (🐔🐔= compromising) to three (🐔🐔🐔 = capitulating). 
 

DEI Doublespeak:

At Apple’s annual shareholders’ meeting in February 2025, 97 percent of stakeholders rejected an anti-DEI proposal a conservative think tank submitted, solidifying Apple’s commitment to DEI despite Trump’s demands. However, Apple boss Tim Cook has said his company “may have to change its diversity practices as the U.S. legal landscape shifts.” Apple’s website continues to express a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

What It Owns:

Apple is a major consumer-electronics, computing-hardware and software company, and owns subsidiary companies in a number of industries. In addition to its own branded hardware and software, notable companies and services it owns include Apple Card, Apple Pay, Beats by Dre, Beddit.com, BIS Records, Braeburn Capital, Claris, DatakaLab and Mira Labs. It also offers various online services, including Apple Arcade, Apple Books, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple News+, Apple TV+, DarwinAI, Primephonic, Shazam, Siri and the iTunes Store. Apple Studios is its media-production subsidiary.

Money & Influence Game:

Apple paid lobbyists $7,820,000 in 2024, and its employees made $5,315,297 in contributions to political candidates (2024 cycle). (SOURCE: Center for Responsive Politics)