That was the suggestion - it's wrong, though. Apple invests in liberal marketing but not liberal reform. Liberals think that Apple likes them, because they support their banal social movements on the surface. Underneath that surface, Apple's business strategy entirely relies on borderline fascist levels of control over supply chains, logistics and human labor. Their gleeful business relationship with China is exactly the same as the smile Musk puts on his face when he has to tow the party line for access to cheap labor. They do it for the same reason Musk does - liberal society is incompatible with the cheap labor he wants and the suppression of revolt he relies on. iPhones made in a truly free country would not be cost competitive.

But don't just stop there. Look at all the other times Apple refused liberal reform, with the DMA, DSA, DOJ suit, Corellium's suit, Apple v. Epic, the union-busting action, sensitive content moderation, tax-dodging in Ireland and client-side-scanning... Apple cannot guarantee you anything as an institution because they fundamentally value nothing higher than profits.

> Note that Apple being a political lightning rod is news to me though.

They've been that way since Foxconn put up complimentary suicide nets for the workers on the Apple line. People turn the other cheek because, again, Apple invests heavily in a rosy marketing attitude that belies the mistreatment of their employees and developers.