Trump supporters are calling for an Apple boycott because it won't fund the Republican convention (AAPL)

Kif Leswing
Updated
Apple Pulling Sponsorship Money From GOP Convention
Apple Pulling Sponsorship Money From GOP Convention

Apple is declining to support the 2016 Republican presidential convention, Politico and the New York Times reported over the weekend.

This means that Apple isn't donating any technology or cash to the event that will name Donald Trump the Republican nominee for president. The convention will take place in Cleveland in July.

According to Politico, Apple has supported Republican (and Democratic) conventions in the past, but won't contribute funds this year because of Trump:

See Trump supporters :

Apple has told Republican leaders it will not provide funding or other support for the party's 2016 presidential convention, as it's done in the past, citing Donald Trump's controversial comments about women, immigrants and minorities...

Apple's political stand against Trump, communicated privately to Republicans, is a sign of the widening schism between Silicon Valley and the GOP's bombastic presumptive nominee.

Apple declined to comment. Trump supporters are still upset though, with the hashtag #boycottapple filling up with angry tweets from Trump-related accounts — although few GOP leaders have taken up the anti-Apple banner so far.

On Monday morning, one commentator on Fox News said that Apple had "offended" him and threatened that if Apple didn't change his stance, he would no longer buy Apple computers.

This isn't the first time that Apple has been a target of Trump's. Trump likes to criticize Apple's usage of Chinese manufacturing, and supported the FBI over a debate between it and Apple over a locked iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters.

Trump also received speaking fees for giving a speech for Samsung in 2015.

See photos from Trump's campaign:

Apple CEO Tim Cook has received praise in recent years for taking strong stances on certain issues, such as gay rights and climate change. Cook hasn't spoken publicly about his political beliefs as they apply to the Democratic or Republican parties, but he did like these two tweets from his favorite band, One Republic:

Tim Cook Favs
Tim Cook Favs

REUTERS/Robert Galbraith

Ultimately, Apple wasn't going to donate that much anyway. In 2008, it contributed $140,000, mostly in the form of MacBooks and other free computers. According to Politico, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft will continue to provide support to the GOP convention.

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See Also:

SEE ALSO: TRUMP: 'Boycott all Apple products'

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