In an interview with “CBS Sunday Morning,” Apple CEO Tim Cook was criticized for operating in Texas despite its anti-LGBT legislation and continuing to advertise on X despite Elon Musk allegedly advocating for anti-Semitic content on his site.
The interviewer, John Dickerson, first asked the tech executive why Apple operates in Texas if, in Cook’s own words, “everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, and that all roads lead to equality.” In the video, CBS cited a Texas Monthly article on the state’s spate of anti-abortion legislation and an article from Texas Tribune on Gov. Greg Abbott’s signing legislation barring children from accessing trans-related medication like puberty blockers and hormone therapy.
“This may be a welcoming place for Apple’s 10,000 Austin employees, but while Texas promotes its business friendly climate, the state has pursued strong anti-abortion and anti-trans and -gay legislation,” Dickerson narrates.
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“How should people think about your commitment to equality, and the politics of Texas which seems to be clashing with that?” Dickerson asked Cook.
“There will always be cases, John, where we’re either selling or operating in a place where we have a difference in opinion on something,” Cook replied. “But I’m telling you from our heart, we believe in treating everyone with dignity and respect. And that’s how we show up as a company. We believe in being a part of the community and trying to advocate for change, rather than pulling the moat up and going away.”
Dickerson was not satisfied and immediately hit Cook with another hardball. After bringing up how Cook received the first “Courage Against Hate” award from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in 2018, Dickerson launched into offense against Apple for advertising on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter before Elon Musk purchased and rebranded it. Citing the ADL’s statement condemning Musk for “engaging with a highly toxic, antisemitic campaign on his platform”—namely, a movement to ‘ban the ADL’ for smearing people’s reputations for unrelated political reasons in the name of anti-racism—Dickerson then asked Cook: “Should Apple continue to advertise on Twitter?”
Cook paused. “It’s something that we ask ourselves. Generally it’s my view that Twitter is an important property. I like the concept that it’s there for discourse and there as a town square. There’s also some things about it I don’t like.”
Dickerson fired back: “There’s discourse—and then there’s antisemitism…”
“It’s abhorrent,” Tim said. “Just point blank. There’s no place for it.”
“So is it something you’re constantly evaluating? Or—?”
“It’s something we’re constantly asking ourselves,” Cook said.
Cook also discussed Apple’s plans to become carbon neutral by 2030, it’s VR product Vision Pro, and the future of remote work. Cook was particularly happy to discuss the new Apple iWatch which boasts to be 100% carbon neutral—meaning Apple invested in carbon removal methods or sustainable resources to “offset” the amount of carbon needed to produce the product.
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