Apple CEO Tim Cook announced on April 20 that he is stepping down from his role on September 1. He will be replaced by John Ternus, the current senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. While Cook is leaving the top job, he will stay with the company as executive chairman of the board of directors. President Donald Trump responded to the news with a post on Truth Social, offering a candid look at his relationship with Cook. He acknowledged Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs but made clear he believes the company grew even bigger under 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,” Trump wrote. Trump and Cook’s working relationship survived years of disagreements and real policy clashes Trump noted that he and Cook maintained a “long and very nice relationship” that started during his first term. According to Trump, it began when Cook called him for help with a “fairly large problem that only I, as President, could fix.” Trump has previously said that Cook preferred to call him directly rather than hire consultants to deal with complicated matters. Trump recalled that Cook would call him during his time in office, though never “too much.” He also noted that Cook was sometimes “too aggressive in his ask,” and he wasn’t always able to help. But over time, the two built a mutual respect. I can’t imagine a more humiliating way to go out. pic.twitter.com/MOa2BoQCJU— Sarah Longwell (@SarahLongwell25) April 21, 2026 “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,” Trump shared. He ended his post by calling Cook’s career “almost incomparable” and said, “Quite simply, Tim Cook is an incredible guy!!!” Trump also referenced a well-known moment from a 2019 meeting where he accidentally called Cook “Tim Apple.” In his post, he brought it up himself, writing: “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 had also shown goodwill toward Trump beyond just phone calls – he was among the billionaires who donated to Trump’s second inaugural fund. This relationship was not without its tensions. Back in 2016, Trump called for a boycott of Apple after the company refused to help law enforcement break into an iPhone connected to a shooting in San Bernardino, California. Tim Cook donated $1M to Trump’s inauguration.He fawned over Trump and gifted him a 24-karat gold plaque (as Apple lobbied for tariff exemptions).Apple donated to Trump’s ballroom.And it removed ICE tracking apps from its stores after a demand from the DOJ.Remember this.— Robert Reich (@RBReich) April 20, 2026 According to CNN, there were also disagreements over Apple’s support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the company’s position on encryption, and its criticism of the decision to exit the Paris climate accord. Very classy and mature having a President use the term “kiss my ass” He really knows how to inspire a country. I’m sure even more 18 year olds would’ve been willing to die in Normandy if they heard FDR say someone called to “kiss his ass”— Bob Huggins (@BobHugginsDrunk) April 21, 2026 Despite all of this, the two found common ground on economic issues. Cook served on the administration’s Workforce Policy Advisory Board, and they frequently discussed the impact of tax cuts and the importance of American manufacturing. Trump also toured an Apple facility in Austin, Texas, to highlight these efforts. Cook was not the only tech figure to build ties with Trump during this period; Elon Musk, who played a major role in helping put Trump back in the White House, became one of the most prominent names in the President’s inner circle. Cook’s decision to stay in direct contact with Trump, rather than going through intermediaries, appears to have made a real difference in how their relationship developed over the years. As Cook now prepares to step down, his straightforward communication style seems to have left a strong impression on the White House.