Trump Says Tim Cook Called To ‘Kiss My Ass’ In Long Post About Apple CEO

Topline

President Donald Trump addressed Tim Cook’s decision to step down as Apple’s CEO in a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning, describing his first interaction with the billionaire executive during his first term, which he described as the “head of Apple calling to ‘kiss my ass.’”

FILE – President Donald Trump shakes hands with Apple CEO Tim Cook in the Oval Office, Aug. 6, 2025, in Washington.

Key Facts

The remark, which appears to mock Cook, who Trump again referred to as “Tim Apple” was included in a post that otherwise appears to congratulate Cook for his term as CEO of Apple.

The president’s post first mentions him being a “big fan of Tim Cook” and suggested he had done a better job as Apple CEO than his predecessor, Steve Jobs.

Trump then mentions getting a phone call from Cook during his first term to solve a “fairly large problem” that the president claimed only he could fix.

“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 ass,’” Trump wrote.

Trump said during his time at the White House, Cook has called him multiple times, but “never too much,” and in return, he’s given the Apple chief “3 or 4 BIG HELPS”

The president said he helped out Cook but not always, because on occasions the Apple CEO’s would be “be too aggressive in his ask.”

Key Background

On Monday, Apple announced Tim Cook would be stepping down as the company’s CEO on September 1 and he will be replaced by John Ternus. Ternus currently serves as the company’s hardware engineering chief and played a key role in the development of Apple Silicon, the company’s own chips that power nearly all of its devices, including Macs, iPhones, and iPads. In a statement accompanying the announcement, Cook said being the CEO of Apple had been “the greatest privilege of my life,” and he looked forward to working with Ternus on the leadership transition.

What Do We Know About Tim Cook’s Next Role?

After stepping down as CEO, Tim Cook will become the company’s executive chairman. Apple said as executive chairman, he will “assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world.” This suggests that Cook will likely continue to be the person who engages directly with the White House and Trump on matters of policy while Ternus focuses on the business side. In a post on X, tech investor and the author of the SpyGlass blog, M.G. Siegler, described the move, saying: “Tim Cook will continue on in his role as ‘Tim Apple’. So John Ternus doesn’t have to be ‘John Apple’.”