Apple Asks Trump Administration to Clear Memory Chip Deal With Blacklisted Chinese Supplier
Apple is seeking Trump administration approval to purchase memory chips from a Chinese company currently on a U.S. blacklist, according to reports. The iPhone maker is pushing for a government sign-off that would let it source the components and take pressure off chip costs that have been climbing.
Key takeaways
- Apple is seeking Trump administration approval to buy memory chips from a Chinese company that is currently on a U.S. blacklist.
- The blacklist normally bars American companies from doing business with the supplier without explicit federal approval, so Apple is pursuing a waiver.
- Apple's motive is cost, as it has flagged that memory chip prices are rising and the Chinese supplier would ease that pressure.
- Memory chips are used in every iPhone, iPad, and Mac, making their pricing a direct factor in Apple's margins and consumer prices.
- The decision now rests with the Trump administration, and either approval or denial would set a precedent for how trade restrictions are weighed against U.S. companies' needs.
Apple is seeking Trump administration approval to purchase memory chips from a Chinese company currently on a U.S. blacklist, according to reports. The iPhone maker is pushing for a government sign-off that would let it source the components and take pressure off chip costs that have been climbing.
The Ask: Carve-Out From Trade Restrictions
Apple's request is straightforward in form but loaded in politics: the company wants the Trump administration to authorize purchases from a supplier it would otherwise be barred from doing business with under existing trade restrictions. The unnamed Chinese firm sits on a blacklist that typically prohibits American companies from conducting commerce with it without explicit federal approval. Apple is now pursuing exactly that clearance.
The move signals that Apple sees the blacklisted supplier as a meaningful source of supply — meaningful enough to navigate a politically sensitive waiver process rather than look elsewhere.
Rising Chip Prices Drive the Calculation
The commercial logic behind the request is cost. Apple has flagged that memory chip prices are rising, and sourcing from the blacklisted Chinese company would, in the company's view, ease that pressure. Memory chips are foundational to every iPhone, iPad, and Mac, making component pricing a direct lever on Apple's margins and, ultimately, on the retail prices consumers see.
The choice to pursue a restricted Chinese supplier rather than absorb higher costs or redirect orders to non-blacklisted vendors suggests Apple has determined the savings are material enough to justify the regulatory effort.
What the Administration Decides Next
The ball is now in the Trump administration's court. Granting the waiver would hand Apple a cost-management tool while setting a precedent on how flexibly the blacklist can be applied when a major American manufacturer argues economic necessity. Denying it forces Apple to seek supply elsewhere in a tighter market.
Either outcome carries weight beyond Apple's balance sheet. The decision will signal how the administration weighs trade enforcement against the operational needs of U.S. companies caught between geopolitical restrictions and global supply chains built over decades around Chinese manufacturing.
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Filed by the macro desk of MarketPR on June 27, 2026. Source: ft.com. Indicative figures are not investment advice.