Apple shifts Mac Mini assembly from Asia to US under Trump-backed ‘Make in America’ plan

In a move aligned with its “Make in America” investment drive in the era of US President Donald Trump’s administration, Apple Inc. on Tuesday announced it will begin producing the Mac mini in the United States for the first time, expanding operations at its Houston manufacturing campus and deepening a $600 billion domestic commitment unveiled last year.

The company said future production of the Mac mini will shift to a new factory at its Houston site beginning later this year, marking a rare instance of US assembly for one of Apple’s mainstream Mac products.

The expansion will also include a ramp-up of advanced artificial intelligence server manufacturing and the launch of a dedicated workforce training centre.


“Apple is deeply committed to the future of American manufacturing, and we’re proud to significantly expand our footprint in Houston with the production of Mac mini starting later this year,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive officer. “We began shipping advanced AI servers from Houston ahead of schedule, and we’re excited to accelerate that work even further.”

Doubling down in Houston

Apple said the new Mac mini production line will double the footprint of its Houston campus. The site already began assembling advanced AI servers in 2025, with logic boards produced onsite and servers deployed in Apple data centres across the country.

The Mac mini, long positioned as a compact yet powerful desktop, has traditionally been assembled in Asia, alongside most of Apple’s Mac portfolio. The shift makes it the second Mac product to see US assembly in recent years after the Mac Pro, which has been built in Texas for the domestic market.

While the Mac mini trails higher-volume models such as the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and iMac in overall sales, it has gained renewed traction amid growing demand for machines capable of running AI-driven applications. The entry-level pricing and compact design have made it popular among students, developers and small businesses.

Apple did not detail the proportion of Mac mini units that will be made in the US, and it is expected that production for non-US markets will continue in Asia, consistent with its broader global manufacturing strategy.

AI servers and workforce training

Beyond product assembly, Apple is positioning Houston as a hub for advanced manufacturing and AI infrastructure.

The company confirmed it will expand production of AI servers at the site. These servers underpin Apple’s data centre operations and support artificial intelligence features across its ecosystem. Production is already ahead of schedule, according to the company.

Later this year, Apple plans to open a 20,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston. The facility will provide hands-on training in advanced manufacturing techniques to students, supplier employees and American businesses.

Apple said its experts will teach participants the same innovative processes used to build Apple products, with the aim of upgrading manufacturing capabilities across the domestic supply chain.

Altogether, the company said its Houston operations will create thousands of jobs, though it did not provide a detailed breakdown.

Part of a $600 billion US commitment

The announcement forms part of Apple’s previously disclosed $600 billion US investment plan, which Chief Executive Tim Cook discussed publicly during an Oval Office meeting with President Trump last year.

Since outlining that commitment, Apple says it has crossed several milestones under its American Manufacturing Program.

The company exceeded its target of sourcing 20 billion US-made chips, procuring them from 24 factories across 12 states. These include facilities run by partners such as TSMC, Broadcom and Texas Instruments.

In Texas, GlobalWafers has started production at a $4 billion bare silicon wafer facility in Sherman. Apple said wafers produced there will be used by its US-based chip manufacturing partners, including TSMC and Texas Instruments.

Meanwhile, Amkor Technology has broken ground on a $7 billion semiconductor advanced packaging and test facility in Peoria, Arizona, where Apple will serve as the first and largest customer.

In Kentucky, Corning Inc.’s Harrodsburg facility is now fully dedicated to producing cover glass for iPhone and Apple Watch units shipped globally. Apple said that by the end of this year, every new iPhone and Apple Watch will use cover glass made in the state.

Looking ahead, Apple expects to purchase well over 100 million advanced chips in 2026 from TSMC’s Arizona facility, marking a significant increase from 2025 levels.

The company has also expanded its training efforts beyond Texas. It opened an Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit, which it says is already supporting more than 130 small- and medium-sized US manufacturers with training in AI, automation and smart manufacturing. The academy has recently added virtual programming developed by Apple experts and faculty from Michigan State University.

A calibrated US manufacturing push

Despite the Houston expansion, the bulk of Apple’s high-volume products, including the iPhone and iPad, continue to be assembled outside the United States. The Mac mini, while strategically important, remains a lower-volume product compared with Apple’s flagship devices.

The move nevertheless signals a calibrated deepening of Apple’s US manufacturing presence at a time when political pressure and trade tensions have pushed technology companies to localise portions of their supply chains.

By bringing Mac mini production to Houston and scaling AI server assembly, Apple is seeking to balance its global manufacturing network with a visible domestic footprint, tying its operational roadmap to a broader narrative of American industrial revival under the Make in America banner.