On the day when Donald Trump, the presumed Republican candidate for US President personally fired his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski one might have thought things couldn’t get much worse for the firebrand business mogul.
Well, they just did.
Technology powerhouse Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) has ruled out supporting the Republican Convention in July, according to a published report by Politico, citing its disdain over Donald Trump's public stances on women, immigrants and minorities.
The position taken by Apple is astonishing on several levels. Firstly, it has typically backed both major parties conventions – the Republicans and Democrats – in past years, showing them with technology and cash.
Secondly, it offers a stark politicisation of a major brand, Apple, and one has to ask whether the reason is sheer commercialism? Trump’s comments, apart from alienating parts of society he has targeted for blame or criticism, have also upset younger generation voters who have an arguable more international perspective and want the United States not to become an inwardly-looking fortress.
Thirdly, the move has caught by surprise many of Apple’s competitors in the tech industry. Facebook (NASDAQ:FB), Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) are all planning to support the GOP (Republican) convention in some way.
Now, those major tech companies may need to re-think their position before they have committed. Or they may have an uneasy position trying to justify why they are backing what is expected to result in Trump’s ascendency as the official candidate of the party.
Until Apple’s move, the status quo was straightforward and nothing needed much defending. But now Apple’s move will leave its competitors having to take a raincheck on the whole thing, especially since Apple has so explicitly explained why it will not back the Convention this time.
None of the events, however, were totally without foundation. Trump traded insults with Apple over the San Bernardino terror attack in December. Apple's later refusal to help the US government decrypt one of the attackers’ iPhone led to a high profile war of words, which Trump joined by calling for a boycott of the company.
If reports that Apple has tipped off the Republicans of its decision in private are true, they will lead to more pressure on the GOP not to swear Trump in as its official candidate.
Back to Lewandowski. Some political analysts see him as a scapegoat for Trumps recent demise in popularity in opinion polls and the on-going resistance of some in the Republican Party – include the Bush political dynasty – to endorse the property tycoon.
Although Trump’s campaign has secured a GOP record 14 million votes in the recent primaries the man behind the campaign’s formative success is leaving.
Trump has had a difficult few weeks, struggling to consolidate support in the party ahead of its national convention next month. The New York businessman has also made a series of recent comments that have drawn rebuke from a handful of leading Republican politicians, leading some pundits to ask if there could actually be an attempt to deny Trump the nomination.
Apple shares closed Monday down 0.24% at $95.10.