Trump announces Apple–Intel US foundry deal — ends Apple's decade of TSMC exclusivity
TL;DR
Trump confirms an Apple–Intel US foundry deal on Truth Social. Intel stock jumped 9% pre-market. Apple's decade-long TSMC exclusivity gets its first crack.
Trump posted on Truth Social on June 18 that Apple has agreed to design and manufacture chips with Intel on US soil. Intel jumped ~9% pre-market. Neither company has formally confirmed.
The weight is in two firsts. First, Apple has been 100% TSMC for chip foundry since 2015 — a decade of exclusivity now has its first crack. Second, Trump announcing this personally relates to the fact that the US government is currently an Intel shareholder. In August 2025 the White House converted Intel's undisbursed $5.7B CHIPS subsidy plus $3.2B in other funds into ~10% equity. Trump says that stake is now worth $60B+. Government shareholder + sitting president — this foundry deal is both industrial policy and personal portfolio gain.
Business details cap the upside. Ming-Chi Kuo (TF International) says the Intel-Apple partnership starts with legacy chips for older iPhones, iPads, and Macs; flagship A19 Pro and M5 stay at TSMC. A19 Pro and M5 won't be made in the US near term — initial collaboration locks to low-end and back-catalog product lines.
Price is Intel's weapon. Several analysts report Intel 18A pricing at ~25% below TSMC 2nm. Apple has been negotiating with Intel for over a year. The resulting deal is reportedly the largest foundry diversification Apple has made.
Geopolitically: Apple isn't really leaving TSMC — it's buying insurance against cross-strait trouble. Trump isn't really matchmaking — he's converting political capital to portfolio value. Neither side confirms because neither wants negotiating leverage frozen by a Truth Social post.
Watch: whether Intel's next earnings discloses the contract value, and whether TSMC Arizona's 2nm ramp gets pulled forward.
via Truth Social / Tom's Hardware
The weight is in two firsts. First, Apple has been 100% TSMC for chip foundry since 2015 — a decade of exclusivity now has its first crack. Second, Trump announcing this personally relates to the fact that the US government is currently an Intel shareholder. In August 2025 the White House converted Intel's undisbursed $5.7B CHIPS subsidy plus $3.2B in other funds into ~10% equity. Trump says that stake is now worth $60B+. Government shareholder + sitting president — this foundry deal is both industrial policy and personal portfolio gain.
Business details cap the upside. Ming-Chi Kuo (TF International) says the Intel-Apple partnership starts with legacy chips for older iPhones, iPads, and Macs; flagship A19 Pro and M5 stay at TSMC. A19 Pro and M5 won't be made in the US near term — initial collaboration locks to low-end and back-catalog product lines.
Price is Intel's weapon. Several analysts report Intel 18A pricing at ~25% below TSMC 2nm. Apple has been negotiating with Intel for over a year. The resulting deal is reportedly the largest foundry diversification Apple has made.
Geopolitically: Apple isn't really leaving TSMC — it's buying insurance against cross-strait trouble. Trump isn't really matchmaking — he's converting political capital to portfolio value. Neither side confirms because neither wants negotiating leverage frozen by a Truth Social post.
Watch: whether Intel's next earnings discloses the contract value, and whether TSMC Arizona's 2nm ramp gets pulled forward.
via Truth Social / Tom's Hardware
