President Donald Trump paid an effusive, and characteristically unfiltered, tribute to Apple CEO Tim Cook, hours after the tech giant announced Cook would be stepping down from the company's top job later this year.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump recalled the origins of his relationship with Cook in vivid terms, describing the Apple chief's first phone call to the White House as Cook ringing him up to 'kiss my ass.' Trump, who said he was struck by the significance of receiving a call from the head of Apple, added that he was 'very impressed' at the time.
The post went on to paint a portrait of a quietly productive Washington relationship, one that Trump said bypassed the expensive consultants and lobbyists who typically navigate the corridors of presidential power. Cook, Trump wrote, would call him personally when Apple ran into trouble, explain the problem clearly, and then 'get the job done, QUICKLY' once Trump intervened.
"Most people would have paid millions of dollars to a consultant," Trump wrote, adding that the go-betweens would claim to know him well - but rarely deliver results. Cook, by contrast, picked up the phone himself.
Trump said Cook reached out several times over the years with what he called '3 or 4 BIG HELPS,' though he noted he didn't always comply, waving off requests he considered too aggressive.
In a nod to Apple's legacy, Trump also weighed in on the perennial question of what Steve Jobs might have achieved had he lived longer, concluding that under Cook, Apple had in fact done better than it would have under its legendary co-founder. "The company would have done well, but nowhere near as well as it has under Tim," Trump wrote.
The tribute closed with a presidential seal of approval, "Tim Cook is an incredible guy!!!"
Cook's departure marks the end of an era at Apple. He has served as CEO since 2011, when he took over following the death of Steve Jobs, and has presided over the company's rise from a market capitalization of roughly $350 billion to over $4 trillion. He will transition to executive chairman of Apple's board of directors.
Cook's successor will be John Ternus, currently Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, who is set to take the helm on September 1.
Here’s Donald Trump’s full post on Tim Cook:
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. For me it began with a phone call from Tim at the beginning of my First Term. He had a fairly large problem that only I, as President, could fix. Most people would have paid millions of dollars to a consultant, who I probably would not have known, but who would say that he knew me well. The fees would be paid but the job would not have gotten done.
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.” Anyway, he explained his problem, a tough one it was, I felt he was right and got it taken care of, quickly and effectively. That was the beginning of a long and very nice relationship. During my five years as President, Tim would call me, but never too much, and I would help him where I could. Years latter, after 3 or 4 BIG HELPS, I started to say to people, anyone who would listen, that this guy is an amazing manager and leader. He makes these calls to me, I help him out (but not always, because he will, on occasion, be too aggressive in his ask!), and he gets the job done, QUICKLY, without a dime being given to those very expensive (millions of dollars!) consultants around town who sometimes get it done, and sometimes don’t. Anyway, Tim Cook had an AMAZING career, almost incomparable, and will go on and continue to do great work for Apple, and whatever else he chooses to work on. Quite simply, Tim Cook is an incredible guy!!!
President DONALD J. TRUMP
