Commerce Secretary Pushes Back on Apple’s Plan to Buy Chinese Memory Chips

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has told Apple directly that the Trump administration does not support the company buying memory chips from Chinese suppliers, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Lutnick made the comments shortly after touring Apple’s new manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, saying other solutions need to be found for the memory shortage rather than turning to Chinese sources. He confirmed he had communicated this opposition to Apple directly and plainly.

Apple Weighs Chinese Suppliers Amid Chip Shortage

Apple has spent recent months seeking approval to purchase memory chips from two Chinese companies as it works to address a global supply shortage. Both companies are flagged by US authorities, with one already restricted under export rules and both designated by the Pentagon as having ties to China’s military.

Apple’s chief operating officer has said memory components require little customization compared to other iPhone parts, raising the possibility the company could use standard Chinese-made chips rather than custom versions, which would otherwise require special government licensing to share technical specifications.

Bipartisan Pressure Already Building

The plan has already drawn pushback from a bipartisan group of US senators urging Apple to avoid sourcing memory from Chinese firms. Apple’s leadership has previously said the company is evaluating all available supply options as prices rise due to the shortage, and reports indicate the company had already been testing chips from one of the two suppliers.

Manufacturing Investment Continues Despite Tension

The comments came just a day after Lutnick joined Apple’s CEO and other officials at the opening of the company’s new advanced manufacturing center in Texas, part of a broader $600 billion domestic investment commitment. Despite that cooperation, it now appears increasingly unlikely that a deal allowing Apple to source Chinese memory chips will be part of any broader arrangement with the administration.