Trump Hails Tim Cook's "Incomparable" Career as Apple CEO Steps Down

Trump also drew a comparison with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, saying that while the company would have done well under Jobs, it may not have reached the same heights. "If Steve was not taken from the Planet Earth so young... the company would have done well, but nowhere near as well as it has under Tim," he wrote.

Looking back at his first interaction with Cook, Trump wrote, "For me it began with a phone call from Tim at the beginning of my First Term."

He said he was struck by the outreach from the Apple chief. "When I got the call I said, wow, it's Tim Apple (Cook!) calling, how big is that?" he added.

Praising Cook's tenure, Trump said, "Tim Cook had an AMAZING career, almost incomparable, and will go on and continue to do great work for Apple."

"Quite simply, Tim Cook is an incredible guy!!!" he added.

Apple Inc announced that Cook will step down as Chief Executive Officer and take over as executive chairman of the company's board, with John Ternus set to become the new CEO from September

The decision was approved by Apple's Board of Directors as part of a long-planned leadership transition. Cook will continue as CEO through the summer and work closely with Ternus to ensure a smooth handover.

Currently serving as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, Ternus has been a key figure in developing Apple's major products and will now take charge of leading the company.

After stepping into his new role as executive chairman, Cook will continue to support the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world.

In a community letter to the company, Cook wrote, "For the past 15 years I've started just about every morning the same way. I open my email and I read notes I received the day before from Apple's users all over the world. You share little pieces of your lives with me and tell me things you want me to know about how Apple has touched you. About the moment your mom was saved by her Apple Watch. About the perfect selfie you captured at the summit of a mountain that seemed impossible to climb. You thank me for the ways Mac has changed what you can do at work and sometimes give me a hard time because something you care about isn't working like it should."

Tim Cook joined Apple in 1998. He became CEO in 2011 and has overseen the introduction of numerous products and services, including new categories like Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro, and services ranging from iCloud and Apple Pay to Apple TV and Apple Music. He was also instrumental in expanding existing product lines.

- ANI