Trump Praises Tim Cook’s Apple Leadership, Says Company Thrived More Under Cook Than It Would Have Under Steve Jobs

When most executives retire, they receive well-wishes from colleagues and industry recognition. For Apple CEO Tim Cook, retirement comes with a public message from the President of the United States—one that may not be entirely flattering.

Apple announced on Thursday that Cook, who has led the company for 15 years, will step down as CEO. He will be succeeded by John Ternus. The announcement was met with widespread acceptance from Apple shareholders and praise from tech leaders for Cook’s achievements.

However, President Trump—who has a long and complex relationship with Cook—shared his own take on the news via Truth Social.

Trump Claims Apple Performed Better Under Cook Than It Would Have Under Steve Jobs

In a post on Friday morning, Trump offered a glowing, if unconventional, endorsement of Cook’s leadership. He suggested that Apple thrived more under Cook than it would have under the late Steve Jobs.

“I have always been a big fan of Tim Cook, and likewise, Steve Jobs,” Trump wrote. “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.”

While the sentiment aligns with Cook’s record—Apple’s market value has surged under his tenure—Cook has never publicly claimed to outperform Jobs, who stepped down as CEO in 2011 and passed away later that year.

Trump Recalls First Call with Cook: ‘Tim Apple’ and ‘Kissing My Ass’

Trump also reminisced about his first interaction with Cook, which began with a phone call early in his presidency.

“For me, it began with a phone call from Tim at the beginning of my first term,” Trump wrote. “He had a fairly large problem that only I, as president, could fix.”

Trump continued,

“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.’”

Cook has faced criticism over the years for his close ties to Trump, a relationship that has occasionally drawn scrutiny.

“That was the beginning of a long and very nice relationship,” Trump added.

Trump Says Cook Could Be ‘Too Aggressive’—But Still Helped When Needed

In his post, Trump noted that Cook would occasionally call him during his presidency—“but never too much”—and that he would assist Cook “where I could.” However, the post abruptly cuts off before elaborating further.