Tim Cook Asserts Diversity Stance After Trump Win: ‘Apple’s North Star Hasn’t Changed’

As America reels from the fallout of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s win last Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook released a company-wide memo addressing the unrest among the tech giant’s employees. The letter, released on Wednesday evening, reiterated Apple’s stance on possible issues that would emerge from a Trump presidency, most especially diversity in the workplace.

The brief memo, originally obtained by BuzzFeed News, directly addresses the possible feelings of unrest that several of the tech giant’s employees are currently feeling. Since Trump’s decisive win over Democratic bet Hillary Clinton in Tuesday’s elections, numerous groups in the United States, composed of immigrants, people of color, and the LGBTQ community, have expressed their reservations about the coming years ahead.

In the memo, Cook urged the company’s employees to stand firm and be strong. Quoting one of the most influential men in U.S. history, Dr. Martin Luther King, the Apple CEO urged everyone working in Apple to “keep moving forward” despite whatever circumstances might happen in the future. The CEO also asserted that nothing will change in Apple’s stance regarding issues that might arise after President-elect Trump takes office early next year.

Following is the full text of Cook’s company-wide memo to Apple employees.

Team,

I’ve heard from many of you today about the presidential election. In a political contest where the candidates were so different and each received a similar number of popular votes, it’s inevitable that the aftermath leaves many of you with strong feelings.

We have a very diverse team of employees, including supporters of each of the candidates. Regardless of which candidate each of us supported as individuals, the only way to move forward is to move forward together. I recall something Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said 50 years ago: ‘If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.’ This advice is timeless, and a reminder that we only do great work and improve the world by moving forward.

While there is discussion today about uncertainties ahead, you can be confident that Apple’s North Star hasn’t changed. Our products connect people everywhere, and they provide the tools for our customers to do great things to improve their lives and the world at large. Our company is open to all, and we celebrate the diversity of our team here in the United States and around the world — regardless of what they look like, where they come from, how they worship or who they love.

I’ve always looked at Apple as one big family and I encourage you to reach out to your co-workers if they are feeling anxious.

Let’s move forward — together!

Best,

Tim

Apple has been a target of Donald Trump’s criticism for a while now, with the president-elect specifically pointing out the tech giant’s outsourcing of labor for its products as one of the biggest causes of problems in America’s labor sector. Over the course of his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump has been very firm on his stance of requiring American companies to manufacture their products on American soil. Apple, whose most popular products, such as the iPhone, are manufactured in China, became one of Trump’s biggest targets.

This culminated in a fiery declaration back in January, when Trump boldly declared that once he becomes president, he would force Apple to start manufacturing its products in the United States.

“We’re gonna get Apple to start building their damn computers and things in this country, instead of in other countries,” Trump said during a campaign speech last January.

In order to enforce this rule, Trump has declared during his campaign that he would force Apple and any other American company that opts to move their manufacturing departments to other countries, to pay a massive 35 percent tax. Just like most of his declarations during the campaign period, however, President-elect Donald Trump has not provided a clear outline as to how his administration would implement the sanctions.

Apple and Trump’s row further escalated when the tech giant took a defiant stance against the Justice Department, which issued a request that the tech firm bypass an iPhone’s security systems. The phone in question, an iPhone 5C, was owned by the San Bernardino shooter, whose 2015 attack claimed the lives of 14 people and injured 22 more. When Apple refused to comply with the Justice Department’s request, Trump was quick to condemn the tech giant’s decision.

“But to think that Apple won’t allow us to get into her cell phone. Who do they think they are? No, we have to open it up,” Trump said in a statement back in February.

Trump’s fiery stance against the tech giant would escalate further, eventually culminating in the president-elect calling for a boycott of Apple products. His call for a boycott, which was broadcast through Twitter, was considered by many to be ironic, however, since the tweet was written and uploaded using an iPhone.

Boycott all Apple products until such time as Apple gives cellphone info to authorities regarding radical Islamic terrorist couple from Cal

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2016

With Donald Trump now the president-elect of the United States, only time will tell if he would really stand true to his word and take measures against the practices of firms like Apple. For its part, Apple seems set on continuing on its ways. While the letter that Apple CEO Tim Cook released was one of encouragement and hope, it was also a memo with an underlying feeling of defiance.

[Featured Image by Stephen Lam/Getty Images]