Apple CEO Tim Cook Disagrees With Trump Charlottesville Response, Donates $2m To Anti-Hate Groups

Apple CEO Tim Cook is one person who regularly disagrees with US President Donald Trump even though they have managed to maintain a working relationship. You see Apple is probably the biggest company in the world with a market capitalisation of over $730b which make it almost impossible for any US President to ignore. The other side to the story is that no matter who occupies the oval office, it’s also almost impossible to ignore them because of the enormous powers they have which is why they may disagree but always try to maintain that working relationship for the good the company and country.

But Tim Cook’s disagreement with the President didn’t just start, it goes way back to when he was a candidate and in the wake of the many Trump scandals especially about women and minorities, Tim Cook pulled out from sponsoring the Republican presidential convention while raising funds for Trump opponent Hillary Clinton.

Now he says Apple will be donating a total of $2m to anti-hate groups while describing it as a cancer.

Here’s his full statement to Apple staff;

Team,

Like so many of you, equality is at the core of my beliefs and values. The events of the past several days have been deeply troubling for me, and I’ve heard from many people at Apple who are saddened, outraged or confused.

What occurred in Charlottesville has no place in our country. Hate is a cancer, and left unchecked it destroys everything in its path. Its scars last generations. History has taught us this time and time again, both in the United States and countries around the world.

We must not witness or permit such hate and bigotry in our country, and we must be unequivocal about it. This is not about the left or the right, conservative or liberal. It is about human decency and morality. I disagree with the president and others who believe that there is a moral equivalence between white supremacists and Nazis, and those who oppose them by standing up for human rights. Equating the two runs counter to our ideals as Americans.

Regardless of your political views, we must all stand together on this one point — that we are all equal. As a company, through our actions, our products and our voice, we will always work to ensure that everyone is treated equally and with respect.

I believe Apple has led by example, and we’re going to keep doing that. We have always welcomed people from every walk of life to our stores around the world and showed them that Apple is inclusive of everyone. We empower people to share their views and express themselves through our products.

In the wake of the tragic and repulsive events in Charlottesville, we are stepping up to help organizations who work to rid our country of hate. Apple will be making contributions of $1 million each to the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. We will also match two-for-one our employees’ donations to these and several other human rights groups, between now and September 30.

In the coming days, iTunes will offer users an easy way to join us in directly supporting the work of the SPLC.

Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” So, we will continue to speak up. These have been dark days, but I remain as optimistic as ever that the future is bright. Apple can and will play an important role in bringing about positive change.

Best, 
Tim