Cook responds to Trump, creates more jobs in US

After US President Donald Trump announced that Apple CEO Tim Cook has promised to build three new manufacturing plants in the country, the Cupertino-based tech giant has announced plans to build a $1.3 billion data centre in Waukee, Iowa.

"Our new data centre in Iowa will help serve millions of people across North America who use Siri, iMessage, Apple Music and other Apple services, all powered by renewable energy," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, in a statement late Thursday.

"Apple is responsible for 2 million jobs in all 50 states and we're proud the investment will add to the more than 10,000 jobs we already support across Iowa, providing even more economic opportunity for the community."

The investment to build the 400,000 sq.ft facility will create over 550 construction and operations jobs in the Des Moines area.

The company is contributing up to $100 million to a newly created Public Improvement Fund dedicated to community development and infrastructure around Waukee.

Construction on the data centre is expected to start early next year and Apple plans to bring it online in 2020.

Last year, Apple spent over $50 billion with more than 9,000 US suppliers and manufacturers.

Since the launch of the App Store in 2008, US developers have earned over $16 billion in its sales worldwide.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal in July, Trump said he had a phone conversation with Cook.

"He's promised me three big plants -- big, big, big," Trump said, referring to Cook.

"I said you know, Tim, unless you start building your plants in this country, I won't consider my administration an economic success. He called me, and he said they are going forward," Trump was quoted as saying.

The President has reiterated several times that he would bring jobs back to the US.

--IANS

na/ksk