Washington | EcoPulse24

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Apple has agreed to work with Intel to design and manufacture semiconductors in the United States, a potential partnership that could become one of the most significant developments in America's efforts to rebuild domestic chip production and secure critical technology supply chains.

Trump announced the development in a post on Truth Social but did not disclose which specific Apple processors would be produced or provide details regarding the size, timing or structure of the arrangement.

As of publication, neither Apple nor Intel had publicly confirmed the agreement or responded to media requests for comment.

A Relationship Years in the Making

The announcement did not emerge entirely out of the blue.

The Wall Street Journal reported in May that Intel had reached a preliminary agreement to manufacture certain chips for Apple following discussions that had continued for more than a year.

Bloomberg separately reported last month that Apple had been evaluating Intel and Samsung's US foundries to produce some of the processors powering its devices.

However, previous reports characterized the discussions as preliminary, and no public confirmation of a finalized manufacturing agreement had been issued by either company.

Why the Partnership Matters for Apple

A manufacturing relationship with Intel could help Apple diversify its semiconductor supply chain.

Apple currently relies heavily on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), whose advanced production capacity remains in exceptionally high demand from major artificial intelligence customers including Nvidia and AMD.

Securing additional domestic manufacturing capacity could provide Apple with greater supply-chain resilience while aligning more closely with Washington's push to expand US semiconductor production.

A Potential Strategic Victory for Intel

The development would represent a major endorsement of Intel's foundry ambitions.

Intel has been investing heavily to transform itself into a contract chip manufacturer capable of producing semiconductors for third-party designers.

Investors reacted immediately to Trump's announcement, sending Intel shares up approximately 5.7% in overnight trading.

The company has also reported fresh manufacturing progress. On Wednesday, Intel announced that its 18A-P process had entered risk production, a low-volume stage used to evaluate performance and manufacturing reliability before mass production.

According to Intel, the process delivers:

• Up to 9% higher performance;

• Around 18% lower power consumption;

• Between 20% and 40% better thermal resistance compared with the standard 18A process.

Part of a Broader US Semiconductor Strategy

The announcement also fits into Washington's broader effort to rebuild domestic semiconductor manufacturing.

Last year, the Trump administration acquired a 10% stake in Intel and announced plans to invest approximately $10 billion in the company to build and expand chip manufacturing facilities in the United States.

In his Truth Social post, Trump framed the Apple announcement as part of a broader series of manufacturing commitments involving Intel.

"First, we helped bring in Nvidia... Next, Elon agreed to build his TerraFab...," Trump wrote, presenting the Apple announcement as the latest example of Intel's expanding role in America's semiconductor ecosystem.

A New Chapter in Apple's History With Intel

The announcement also carries historical significance.

Intel designed and supplied processors for Apple's Mac computers from 2006 until around 2020, when Apple transitioned to its internally developed Apple Silicon chips.

If confirmed, the new arrangement would mark Apple's return to an Intel relationship after roughly six years, although this time as a manufacturing customer rather than a processor-design client.

America's Expanding Foundry Race

Intel's principal US manufacturing operations are centered around its Arizona campus, which serves as the cornerstone of Intel Foundry Services.

The company also maintains major operations in Oregon and New Mexico, while expanding its new Ohio manufacturing project.

Competitor Samsung is simultaneously developing a semiconductor fabrication facility in Taylor, Texas, which is expected to begin operations later this year.

EcoPulse24 Analysis

This story is about far more than a potential commercial agreement between Apple and Intel.

It sits at the intersection of industrial policy, artificial intelligence infrastructure and national technology security.

For Apple, additional domestic manufacturing capacity could reduce dependence on an increasingly constrained global semiconductor supply chain.

For Intel, securing Apple as a foundry customer would represent perhaps its most important external validation since launching its manufacturing transformation strategy.

Yet the most important fact remains what is not known.

As of publication, the entire announcement rests on a statement made by President Trump. Neither Apple nor Intel has publicly confirmed the arrangement, and previous reporting described discussions only as preliminary.

The next development to watch is therefore not the market's reaction, but whether either company formally confirms the partnership - and whether it extends beyond limited production agreements into a broader strategic manufacturing relationship that could reshape America's semiconductor landscape.