Apple CEO Tim Cook says he's 'heartbroken' after Minneapolis shootings, calls for de-escalation

By Mike Murphy

Apple CEO Tim Cook gestures as he departs after a business leaders reception with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 21.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said Tuesday he's "heartbroken" by the recent events in Minneapolis, and that he has voiced his concerns about the situation with President Donald Trump.

"This is a time for de-escalation," Cook said, according to an internal memo to Apple employees obtained by the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News and others. "I believe America is strongest when we live up to our highest ideals, when we treat everyone with dignity and respect no matter who they are or where they're from, and when we embrace our shared humanity. This is something Apple has always advocated for."

Cook is the latest CEO to speak out against the recent violence in Minneapolis, where federal agents have shot and killed two civilians this month while conducting sweeping immigration raids, which have spurred widespread protests and national outrage.

Read more: How the ICE turmoil in Minnesota is starting to spill over to Wall Street

Over the weekend, the CEOs of about 60 Minnesota-based companies, including Target, Best Buy and UnitedHealth, signed an open letter calling for a de-escalations of tensions.

In his note, Cook reportedly said he had "a good conversation with the president this week where I shared my views, and I appreciate his openness to engaging on issues that matter to us all."

Cook has faced criticism for attending a White House screening of a documentary movie about first lady Melania Trump, just hours after two federal agents shot and killed VA nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Some have called for a boycott of Apple products.

Apple (AAPL) is set to report quarterly earnings on Thursday. The tech giant's stock is down about 5% year to date, compared to the S&P 500's SPX 2% gain.

-Mike Murphy

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