ofc

I keep seeing things about how x, y or z company "caved" to government pressure, as if companies have ever made value judgements in the modern era. What this decision would have come down to, the only thing it could legally come down to, is shareholder value. Considering Apple secured a reprieve on tariffs, it's absolutely within reason that Trump and/or his administration threatened them with cancelling said reprieve. At that point, the decision would be based off the loss of sales for taking it down, against the loss of sales of devices due to tariff price increases.

Apple has a fiduciary duty to their shareholders first and foremost. There is nothing stopping this batshit insane administration from enacting tariffs, and then using the SEC and DOJ to investigate and bring charges that they aren't upholding their responsibilities to their investors.

It's a bit more complicated than that and trump also isn't as easy to control cause he is a member of the billionare class. It's why there was that movement to try and replace trump with DeSantis. There's also multiple factions. of billionaires as well. Some of them are idealogical fascists. Some only care about money. Some are technofeudalists. Corporations or more accuratlely Capitalists control the government yes. But the billionare class isn't a monolith. There's also a cost benefit analysis. Morals aside there is little benefit for apple to oppose trump unless they think opposing trump will significantly impact their sales. Which reasonably don't think will be the case. especially if the competitor is also playing ball.