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Apple cites Trump as it turns its back on GOP convention, says report

The company won't provide any support to the Republican National Convention because of The Donald's inflammatory remarks, says Politico.

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Forbidden fruit.

 Robin G. London/Getty Images

If Trump can boycott Apple, Apple can boycott Trump.

That seems to be the message underlying a story from Politico, which cites unnamed sources in reporting that the Cupertino, California, maker of the iPhone and other iconic tech gadgets won't provide support to the upcoming GOP convention.

The sources told the Beltway-news site that the reason is Donald Trump's controversial remarks about immigrants, minorities and women.

Other tech firms, including Facebook, Google and Microsoft are reportedly participating in the convention in some form or another, with Google set to provide a live stream of the event (despite protests), Microsoft contributing tablets and cloud storage, and Facebook planning a presence including a lounge of some kind.

Neither Google nor Facebook responded to a request for comment.

A Microsoft spokeswoman, responding to a request for comment, pointed to an April blog post by Fred Humphries, the company's corporate vice president of US government affairs. "We decided last fall to provide a variety of Microsoft technology products and services instead of making a cash donation," Humphries wrote. He added that the company is providing similar technology for the Democratic convention as well as sponsoring some host committee activities.

Apple itself provided computers to the GOP event in 2008, Politico notes, as well as to that year's Democratic convention. It sat out both events in 2012, after the Democrats decided not to accept any corporate sponsorship, the site said.

Apple joins other companies, including storied tech brand HP, in turning away from the Republican proceedings this time around.

In February, Trump called for a boycott of Apple because of the company's refusal to help the FBI hack into an iPhone belonging to one of the terrorists involved in the San Bernardino, California, shootings.

Apple declined to comment on the Politico report.

Update, June 21 at 2:10 p.m. PT: Adds comment from Microsoft.