Apple Asks Trump Administration for Waiver to Buy RAM from Blacklisted Chinese Supplier

*Apple seeks an exception to source memory chips from CXMT amid rising prices that forced recent product increases across its lineup.*

Apple has petitioned the Trump administration for permission to purchase RAM chips from CXMT, a Chinese memory maker blacklisted by the Pentagon for its ties to the People’s Liberation Army. The request aims to ease supply constraints that have pushed up memory costs and led Apple to raise prices on nearly all its products this week.

The company is not legally prohibited from buying the chips. Still, the move carries clear reputational exposure because of CXMT’s military links. Six people familiar with the matter told the Financial Times that Apple reached out directly to seek the exception for Mac memory components.

Price pressure on memory

Global demand has kept memory prices elevated across the industry. Apple is passing some of those costs to customers while still looking for additional suppliers. CXMT remains one of the few alternative sources that could expand capacity quickly, though any deal would require administration approval.

Reputational trade-offs

The Pentagon placed CXMT on its blacklist because of documented connections to the Chinese military. Apple would face scrutiny from customers, regulators, and partners if it proceeded without a formal waiver. The company has not commented publicly on the request.

Why it matters

This petition shows how sharply memory prices have affected even the largest hardware maker and how trade restrictions now shape day-to-day sourcing decisions. If the administration grants the exception, Apple gains breathing room on costs; if it refuses, the company must absorb higher prices or find other, slower routes to additional supply. Either outcome tightens the link between U.S. export controls and the price of consumer devices.

---

Sources:

• The Verge
• AppleInsider

{
  "excerpt": "Apple has asked the Trump administration for an exception to buy RAM from blacklisted Chinese supplier CXMT to offset rising memory costs.",
  "suggestedSection": "business",
  "suggestedTags": ["apple", "supply-chain", "china-trade"],
  "imagePrompt": "Rows of unmarked silicon wafers stacked in dim industrial shelving under a single overhead light, suggesting constrained sourcing routes. A faint grid of circuit traces visible on the nearest wafer edge. muted color palette, cinematic lighting, 16:9"
}