Apple rejects Donald Trump's anti-diversity policies

LondonTwenty-four hours after flattering Donald Trump with the announcement of a multi-million dollar investment in the United States – 500 billion dollars over the next four years – Apple shareholders have decided this Tuesday, at the annual general meeting, that they will not swallow the policies and even suppress the policies of Washington and that they do not suppress. Apple once again distinguishes itself from the rest of its competitors, not only by its designs, but by distancing itself from companies such as Meta, Google, Amazon, Walmart or McDonald's, which have indeed embraced the new reactionary winds blowing in the United States.

Not by chance, in an internal communication to the staff about the decision taken by Meta that affects the hiring of personnel, suppliers and training courses, the corporation that owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, among others, cited a "changing legal and political scenario" to justify the change of course. Goldman Sachs GS, for example, has also abandoned its current requirement that companies it takes public must have at least two minority members represented on the executive board.

Apple, by contrast, has continued the path chosen by Goldman Sachs GS, which has also dropped its current requirement that companies it takes public must have at least two minority members represented on the executive board. Costco COST, an American multinational that operates a chain of members-only big-box stores, the third largest of its kind in the world. The corporation's general meeting rejected another proposal, this time from a group of shareholders, against the aforementioned DEI policies last January.

The decision by Apple's owners represents a reinforcement of the company's management, with Tim Cook at the head, which opposed the elimination of the DEI rules. The board insisted that the initiative "attempted to inappropriately restrict Apple's ability to manage its own ordinary business operations, personnel and teams, and business strategies." This proposal had been based on a public petition made by the conservative organization National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), which asked the technology giant to abolish any vestige of what the ultra sectors would consider culture woke. The NCPPR argued that if they were maintained, it exposed companies to "litigation, reputational and financial risks."

The lobby also claimed that recent Supreme Court rulings would justify their removal. In this point they referred to the refusal of the highest court in the country to legitimize the affirmative action policies of universities, which favored the enrollment of black and Latino students, a practice that had been in place for more than two decades and was overturned in June 2023. Cook, however, has already made it clear that the apple brand has sufficient control mechanisms to ensure that the system works correctly. Apple also collaborates with donations to entities that work for diversity, which puts it in direct conflict with the White House.

And despite the decision, which does not fit with the model of society that Trumpism is imposing, Tim Cook's proximity to Donald Trump has become evident in recent weeks. Cook, Apple's CEO, has courted the president in recent years and held a prominent position in the opening day of his second term. He also contributed financially to the celebrations.

The Apple and Sam Altman's AI

The second major motion rejected by Apple shareholders concerned the relationship with ChatGPT, picking up on criticism from Elon Musk, a rival and antagonist of Open AI CEO Sam Altman. The reason was concern that Apple developers would mine personal data collected online, copyrighted works and proprietary commercial information and give it to Open AI for potential training of its artificial intelligence. Cook also opposed the resolution, arguing that Apple has a strong track record of protecting user privacy.

And while both decisions could cause friction with the White House, the $500 billion investment announcement is a boon for Trump's term. The details were released Monday and involve the creation of 20,000 jobs over the next four years, with the aim of "investing in American innovation," the CEO said. The astronomical figure includes ongoing spending on thousands of U.S. suppliers, data centers and corporate facilities, and new initiatives such as an academy in Michigan “to train the next generation of innovative American entrepreneurs.”

Apple also plans to open a manufacturing facility in Houston to build servers that can support its artificial intelligence ambitions. “We are optimistic about the future of American innovation,” said Cook, who met with Trump at the White House last week. Trump thanked Cook in a post on his Truth Social website on Monday for Apple’s announcement, saying the investment was caused by having “faith in what we are doing,” in relation to his administration.

Still, Trump’s trade war with China and India leaves Apple in a bad position, as it relies heavily on production in those two countries to maintain production levels of its products.