"Citizens Are Shot Dead..." Tim Cook Faces Backlash After Attending White House Party

Apple's CEO Tim Cook faced fierce criticism after attending a lavish premiere at the White House. Despite a civilian death incident caused by law enforcement occurring on the same day, it became known that he was at a celebration for the return of a director who was ousted due to a sexual scandal, leading to movements for an Apple boycott.

According to the Hollywood Reporter and foreign media on the 27th (Korean time), a documentary 'Melania' hosted by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump premiered at the White House on the 25th.

◆ Champagne at the White House vs. Tragedy on the Streets

The event saw a large turnout of Silicon Valley heavyweights, including Tim Cook, Andy Jassy (Amazon), Eric Yuan (Zoom), Lisa Su (AMD). The White House was decorated in a black-and-white theme for this documentary, which Amazon MGM Studios invested $40 million (approximately 55 billion won) in, with waiters in white gloves providing top-notch service.

However, coincidentally on the same day, a 37-year-old nurse Alex Preti was shot dead by agents while protesting against the operations of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and border patrol in Minneapolis. Social media erupted with reactions such as, "While Americans are being shot dead, Tim Cook was raising champagne at the White House," and "Delete Martin Luther King’s quote from your Twitter profile."

◆ The Glamorous Return of the Scandalous Director, Is Trump Behind It?

The controversy was fueled by the fact that the documentary's director is Brett Ratner, who was effectively ousted from Hollywood in 2017 after being accused of sexual harassment by multiple women. This documentary marks his return after 12 years, and reports have emerged that President Trump pressured Paramount's owner to revive the production of 'Rush Hour 4' directed by Ratner, intensifying the 'get out of jail free' controversy.

◆ Apple "Silent"... A Defense Against Antitrust Investigation?

Apple customers are expressing disappointment, stating, "If Steve Jobs were here, he would have told Trump to get lost." Some analysts suggest that Tim Cook's actions may be a political gesture aware of the ongoing antitrust lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Apple has not officially commented on the controversy. Meanwhile, the controversial documentary is set to be released nationwide on the 30th.