4mo ago

Apple CEO Tim Cook Donating $1 Million to Trump's Inaugural Fund

www.macrumors.com

Technology @beehaw.org

schizoidman @lemm.ee

4mo ago

Apple CEO Tim Cook Donating $1 Million to Trump's Inaugural Fund

www.macrumors.com /2025/01/03/tim-cook-trump-inauguration-donation/

Technology @lemmy.world

IchNichtenLichten @lemmy.world

4mo ago

Apple CEO Tim Cook Donating $1 Million to Trump's Inaugural Fund

www.macrumors.com /2025/01/03/tim-cook-trump-inauguration-donation/

119 comments

This legal bribery is disgusting
- This is also why I am gradually untying myself from the Apple ecosystem, and all of propriety/big tech; especially US based.
  When push comes to shove capitalism will not resist fascism. They will ignore all stated virtue signals and choose profits.
  
  Tim Cooks pro-trans statements are falling pretty flat now.
  
  The alternative is Google which is way worse if you ask me. At least Apple doesn’t touch your data, Google will absolutely record every bit of activity on your phone and use it with extreme prejudice to feed you ads and sell you shit you don’t need.
- No. It's a tip. Thanks to the supreme court, it's not illegal if it's a tip!
  You can't give someone a million dollars to bulldoze that orphanage. That's a bribe.
  But it's totally legal to give them a million dollars after bulldozing the orphanage, as a tip!
- You’re mistaking paying “protection fees” for bribery.
  Trump is 100% gonna shake down and threaten those who don’t pay him off. Legalized extortion that dumbass Americans elected.

I love that this community calls out Apple’s BS.
- I mean, all the Apple communities are shitting on this. Go look at the comment threads on the article and other Mac enthusiast blogs.
  https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/01/03/apple-ceo-tim-cook-personally-invested-1-million-in-trumps-inauguration
  
  Well, not the ultimate Apple circlejerk, r/apple.
- One thing that I do like about Lemmy is even the Apple community is somewhat critical. While this particular case seems to be more of an exception, you'll get massively downvotes if you critique the standard PR narrative that "Apple cares about digital privacy" or point out how Apple removed content critical of China and AI tech from their streaming service.
  
  The reddit apple sub claims it isn't affiliated with apple corp. cough
  
  Most apple forems are full of “line must go up” APPL share holders, and will down vote/dislike anything negative aimed at apple.
- It’s a personal donation from Tim Cook
  
  Tim Cook is Apple's CEO and is very transparently doing this with the goal of getting favorable treatment toward Apple by the Trump administration. You'd have to be deluded to think this "personal donation" isn't a bribe on behalf of Apple.

What a fucking coward. Say what you will about Steve Jobs, but he would likely never had done this. So much for think different.
Lost all respect for Tim.

The Tim Apple doesn’t fall far from the golden goose.

Rich people fight for rich people. Remember this when you make decisions about giving corporations money.
Especially looking at you, Apple people.
- @circuitfarmer @cantankerouscashew @appleenthusiast or Walmart or Amazon or… it’s inescapable
  
  100%. And even if it weren't inescapable, the general strategy about leaning on the side of caution means you really shouldn't trust any corporation.
- Oh cool I’ll just get my phone and mobile OS from this upstart named “goggle” or something?
  
  The nonexistence of alternatives doesn't mean Apple isn't just as bad as the rest.
  
  Custom ROM pixel is the best choice on the market if you actually care to fight the clown corpos...
  Or just do nothing and consoom like a good little boy.
- Apple makes great products. I will continue to buy them. Shrug.
  
  Apple products are objectively mid at best. They make over priced products then spend way too much on advertising convincing foolish people that their mid products are basically luxury. It's all crap.
  
  I mean, they don't. But they have convinced you as such.

Donating to a 34-times convicted felon, a rapist, a failed businessman, and an insurrection leader who’s been impeached twice. Incredible
- Electing him as president was more incredible, now nobody can ignore him. Like it or not.
  
  Yes it is poor people fault again

Can left leaning or liberal minded Apple users please switch to Linux now? There really is no excuse. Fuck Apple.
I will make it easy for you.
Get yourself a Framework Laptop: https://frame.work/
And a Fairphone: https://www.fairphone.com/
- I fully agree on the Framework laptop, but Fairphones are insecure and suck. Get yourself a (preferably used) Google Pixel instead and load GrapheneOS on to it, it's very easy and maybe takes 10 minutes.
  
  unfortunately as someone who fixes phones day in and day out I cannot own a pixel. absolutely horrendous build quality. there's a gap behind the screen which is held on solely by shitty adhesive on a thin bezel, and the amount of devices I've seen totaled by a drop on a corner destroying that bezel so a new screen can't be installed is insane.
  
  Why do you think Fairphone (5) is insecure?
  My experience is not that they suck. But yeah, they sure don't have the same spec as a premium iPhone or a Pixel. But they have a modular design, just like the Framework Laptop. I don't know any other modern phone that does. And they use a SoC that is guaranteed to receive support for a long time.
  
  @Andromxda @sith There are two things that keep me trapped:
  Airdrop. Buggy and unreliable, but oh so handy.
  TimeMachine. Also not 100% reliable, but great for the peace of mind.
  For the rest…I switched to Apple in 2001. It used to my secret business weapon (I forced my whole company over to Apple), but those days are long gone.
  Still hate MS-Windows though, so it going to be Linux. Anyone a suggestion for a Linux Airdrop and TimeMachine equivalent?
- And a Fairphone
  Cries in American 🥺
- a Pixel phone with GrapheneOS is a better choice in my opinion.
  And don't forget to donate to GrapheneOS team
  
  And make sure to get a used or refurbished Pixel, because giving Google money isn't a good idea either https://reddthat.com/post/32690381
- Well, just sell that crap. There is no excuse.

Pathetic

In bed with the fascist in chief

Got to pay your protection fees to the Don.

What's with the 1m value and why are all tech companies doing it?
- Likely tacit acknowledgment that the US is becoming more authoritarian/run by a mob boss. For example, if you don’t pay the local mafia, you can expect them to show up and do bad things to you. However if you pay a bribe and kiss the ring, you may receive protection instead
- Protection racket, just a nice round number to show fealty.
  
  There is no protection from fascism. It's bribery, and the dumbest part is MAGAzis will still throw them all under the bus depending which way the wind blows on any given day.
  
  But why not 2 mil for twice the love from trump?

Thanks Tim Apple

His name is actuality Tim Apple, l common mistake.
- iCommonMistake is actually an Erik Tesla product, simple error

So gross. It shouldn’t be a surprise anymore, but it’s still depressing.

Bending the knee in the hope that he escapes the purges. Pathetic.

This type of behavior will have a dire effect on my purchasing habits. I just don’t know if companies like Apple realize the effect these types of decisions have, or if I’m just not representative of their market. Either way, Cupertino can go and get fucked.
- I reckon I could ask the next 100 people I meet if they knew Tim had donated to DT at least 98 of them wouldn't know. And of those that are Apple users, they'd still buy more from him.

So Tim Cook is a trump supporter then
- What's not to like? Tax cuts and h1bs. Billionaires wet dream
- Regime removed will always work with other regime removed to eanr profit at expense of pedon class.

It would be super interesting to know more background on these donations. One has to wonder if there was some sort of solicitation going on. Did somebody leave a note on his windshield? I’m willing to bet there was.

Kissing the ketchup covered fingers of his lord.
- Short fingers
- That brown on his lips isn't ketchup.

Not that this makes it any better, but a lot of other tech companies are also doing this, and it shouldn’t go unnoticed
- not samsung :)

What a pathetic lamprey.

This asshole will just claim it's a personal donation and not a corporate one. It's not wrong, just an asshole move with bad optics.

Et tu, Brute

Lol Tim Apple. You terrible human. May you never have a peaceful day in your life

Consider it an indulgence by a tech company to buy its way out of purgatory.

reasons why i have samsung
- You really gonna make this a Apple vs Samsung thing when it's about the 1% rich vs the 99% of everyone else?
- Samsung isn't an innocent company either, and I love their phones.
  
  Yeah, IIRC Samsung are doing the same thing but in Korea
- That's not relevant.
  
  How's it not? It's apples direct competitor. Possibly naive, but certainly relevant.
- Upvoted. I wish I had a straight forward alternative to IOS but Android is not the one for me.

119 comments