Of course they can manufacture here.
That’s profoundly silly to claim. Stroke of the pen, and Apple could bring back all manufacturing to America.
Would win them millions of customers hearts and loyalty. And it’s not like their product pricing will not support US manufacturing costs - Apples are pretty expensive actually.
They decided not to manufacture here - and some day they will reap the whirlwind.
Perhaps soon. The current trends are quite literally unsustainable. Even short term.
Apple could lead the way in re-industrializing America, and be truly loved heroes doing so.
They should.
One relevant under-discussed factor: they can’t move the money here. Apple has been telling the feds that they want to move many billions of $$$ into the US from their foreign operations, but since the incoming tax rate is ~33% they just won’t (paying $1 to bring in $2 is stupid). Until either that rate is lowered, eliminated or amnestied, all that cash will stay outside the US, re-invested back into foreign operations.