President Donald Trump on Monday continued trying to defend himself for calling Apple CEO Tim Cook “Tim Apple” during a White House meeting last week.
After reportedly denying the gaffe to GOP donors over the weekend at his golf resort, Trump on Monday changed his story, saying he intentionally called the tech company leader “Tim Apple” because it was “an easy way to save time & words.”
Trump used far more words in his tweet than he did during his meeting with Cook last week:
Video of the White House meeting on Wednesday captured the moment. Even the White House transcript notes the absence of Cook’s last name, placing a dash between “Tim” and “Apple.”
Cook noticed it, too, humorously changing his name on Twitter to “Tim .”
After a storm of mockery, Trump attempted to explain the flub Friday during a Republican National Committee meeting at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, telling donors he said “Tim Cook Apple” quickly without enough emphasis on “Cook” to be heard, according to Axios. Two attendees told the outlet they were baffled by the lie.
Trump made the “Tim Apple” remark as he talked to Cook and other members of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board.