Last Saturday night, he met Trump again, this time at a screening of a fawning documentary about first lady Melania Trump. No, Apple did not produce or license the film. Its competitor did, but Cook attended the screening anyway.
This might lead one to worry that Cook does not recognize the seriousness of what federal agents are doing in Minneapolis at this time. No matter one’s politics, it is very easy to speak in at least somewhat humane terms about the horrific deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretty at the hands of federal troops. Even Ted Cruz managed to talk about Good without sounding like a complete monster at one point.
Tim Cook’s oddly timed movie appearance, if I didn’t know better, might be a sign that he’s not reading the room well, and I might be lacking insight into political events, for example, the growing number of his fellow Trump-friendly individuals willing to speak candidly about the apparent violent overreach occurring amid the ICE crackdown in Minneapolis.
But fortunately, Cook has issued a statement to Apple employees in which he said, “This is a time to decompress.” Don’t you feel better than before?
Strangely, Trump used similar language earlier today, saying, “We’re going to do less.”
Cook’s statement did not mention ICE, or other federal agencies, or the names of anyone who died, or specify anything beyond the word “Minneapolis.” But that doesn’t mean it’s just a show-off to pat its employees on the head and nothing more. Ultimately, Cook says he “had a good conversation with the President this week where I shared my thoughts.” So we can all rest assured that Trump will ultimately be punished.
Here’s the full statement (originally leaked to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman Tuesday night):
Team,
I am saddened by the events in Minneapolis and my prayers and deepest condolences go out to the families, communities and all those affected.
This is a time of recession. I believe America is strongest when we hold true to our highest ideals, when we treat everyone with dignity and respect, no matter who they are or where they are from, and when we embrace our shared humanity. This is something Apple has always advocated. I had a nice conversation with the President this week where I shared my views, and I appreciate his openness to dialogue on the issues that matter to all of us.
I know this is very emotional and challenging for many people. I’m proud of how deeply our teams care about the world beyond our walls. That empathy is one of Apple’s greatest strengths and I believe it’s something we all cherish.
Thank you for all that you do.
tim
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