Apple is lobbying the Trump administration for permission to purchase memory chips from the Chinese supplier CXMT [1].
This request highlights the tension between national security restrictions on Chinese technology and the operational needs of the world's largest electronics companies. If the U.S. government denies the request, Apple may face continued production hurdles and rising costs for its upcoming hardware cycles.
The company is seeking this clearance to alleviate a severe memory-component shortage and a corresponding price shock [1], [3]. The crisis involves soaring prices for NAND and DRAM, which are essential for the storage and performance of smartphones and computers [1], [3].
MacKenzie Sigalos of CNBC Television said, "Apple is again lobbying the administration for flexibility to work with Chinese memory suppliers as deals with one of the worst component crises in its history" [5]. The report of these lobbying efforts surfaced on June 26, 2026 [4].
Apple specifically intends to use these components for the iPhone 18 Pro [2]. The company describes the current situation as one of the most significant component crises it has ever faced [1], [3].
The move is viewed as politically risky given the current administration's stance on Chinese tech imports. The U.S. government has expressed dissatisfaction with the proposal to integrate CXMT chips into Apple's supply chain [3]. Despite these concerns, Apple continues to seek a flexible arrangement to ensure its production timelines remain intact.
“Apple is lobbying the Trump administration for permission to purchase memory chips from the Chinese supplier CXMT”
This situation illustrates a critical vulnerability in the global semiconductor supply chain. While the U.S. aims to decouple from Chinese technology for security reasons, the extreme price volatility of NAND and DRAM suggests that alternative sources are currently insufficient to meet the scale of Apple's demand. The outcome of this lobbying effort will signal whether the U.S. government is willing to grant economic exceptions to strategic trade restrictions when a major domestic company faces a systemic production crisis.
