The White House has reiterated its claim that iPhones can be made in the US, despite industry experts and Apple's own executives expressing doubts about the feasibility of such a move. In a press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the US has the labor, workforce, and resources to support iPhone manufacturing, citing Apple's recently announced $500 billion US investment plan as evidence.

However, this assertion contradicts the views of Apple's executives, including the late Steve Jobs and current CEO Tim Cook. In Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, it is revealed that Jobs explained to then-President Barack Obama in 2010 and 2011 that the US lacks the 30,000 properly trained engineers needed to support a factory workforce rivaling the 700,000 workers employed in China.

Tim Cook has also echoed this sentiment, stating in 2017 that the reason Apple manufactures in China is not due to low labor costs, but rather the availability of skilled labor and advanced tooling capabilities. Cook noted that in the US, it would be challenging to find a sufficient number of tooling engineers, whereas in China, multiple football fields could be filled with such experts.

The White House's claim has sparked concerns among industry experts, who argue that the US lacks the necessary infrastructure and workforce to support large-scale electronics manufacturing. The move is seen as a response to the looming tariffs on Chinese goods, which are set to take effect soon. However, experts warn that simply shifting manufacturing to the US may not be a viable solution, given the complexities involved in setting up and maintaining a large-scale production facility.

The implications of the White House's stance are far-reaching, with potential consequences for the tech industry, trade policies, and the US economy as a whole. As the tariffs deadline approaches, it remains to be seen whether Apple and other tech companies will be able to navigate the changing landscape and find a way to manufacture their products in the US.

In the meantime, the tech industry is bracing for the impact of the tariffs, with companies like Razer already pausing direct laptop sales in the US. The situation highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of the complex factors involved in global supply chains and the challenges of reshoring manufacturing to the US.

As the debate continues, one thing is clear: the White House's assertion that iPhones can be made in the US is a simplification of a complex issue, and the reality of manufacturing in the US is far more complicated than a simple shift in production location.