Apple CEO Tim Cook holds an iPhone 17 pro and an iPhone air, as Apple holds an event at the Steve Jobs Theater on its campus in Cupertino, California, U.S. Sept. 9, 2025.
Manuel Orbegozo | Reuters
Apple announced on Monday that CEO Tim Cook will be replaced by John Ternus. Executives across the tech industry and beyond began reacting to the transition shortly after the news broke.
Cook has served as the iPhone maker’s CEO for nearly 15 years, after late founder Steve Jobs resigned in 2011.
President Donald Trump praised Cook’s tenure in a Truth Social post early Tuesday, saying “it began with a phone call from Tim at the beginning of my First Term.”
“Tim Cook had an AMAZING career, almost incomparable, and will go on and continue to do great work for Apple, and whatever else he chooses to work on. Quite simply, Tim Cook is an incredible guy!!!” Trump wrote.
Trump continued to praise Cook’s work Tuesday morning on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
“I got to know him very well,” Trump said. “He’s a fantastic person, did an unbelievable job.”
Google CEO Sundar Pichai posted about the transition on Tuesday.
“Congrats on an incredible run @tim_cook , always respected your deep commitment to Apple’s mission and best wishes in your new role! Look forward to working with John as well!” Pichai posted on X.
“Tim Cook is a legend,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted on Xshortly after the news broke Monday. “I am very thankful for everything he has done and I am very thankful for Apple.”
Apple and OpenAI first partnered in 2024integrating ChatGPT into Siri and Apple’s writing tools.
Palmer Luckeyfounder of Oculus VR, also posted on X, writing “RIP Tim Apple,” referring to the famous White House incident with Trump in 2019.
Trump mistakenly addressed Cook as “Tim Apple” during his first term. Cook made light of the remark, replacing his last name with the Apple logo on his Twitter profile.
Luckey left Facebook in 2017 and founded defense contractor On the sensor later that year.
Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, told CNBC’s Becky Quick that “Apple would not be the Apple of today without Tim Cook.”
“What he has done with Apple could not be done by anybody I’ve known,” Buffett said. Apple is Berkshire Hathaway’s largest shareholding.
“Covering the world and getting along with countries with all kinds of histories and doing right by the customer, people who worked for him, certainly the shareholders, which we were lucky enough to be one of… he’s one of a kind,” Buffett said.
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon congratulated Cook and Ternus in an X post.
“Congratulations to @tim_cook on his nearly 15 years of leadership at @Apple and to John Ternus on becoming CEO,” Amon wrote.
Qualcomm has a complicated history with Apple.
Apple sued the chip supplier in 2017 for about $1 billion in a patent disputearguing that Qualcomm was abusing its status as one of the only cellular technology providers with licensing fees. The companies settled shortly after starting a trial in 2019.
Qualcomm served as the sole provider for iPhone modems from 2020 until Apple released its own C1 chip in the iPhone 16e last year.
Kay IveyGovernor of Cook’s home state of Alabama, also posted on X.
“Here in Alabama, we will always be proud of Tim Cook! He is an Alabamian through and through — born in Mobile and a graduate of Auburn University. I wish @tim_cook continued success and am grateful for all he has done and will continue to do for our state,” Ivey wrote.
Ternus, currently a senior vice president of hardware engineering, will become CEO effective Sept. 1. Cook will then assume the role of executive chairman.