U.S. President Donald Trump said he referred Apple CEO Tim Cook as Tim Apple in an effort to “save time and words,” denying he flubbed Cook’s name while dismissing it as “fake news.”
On Monday morning, Trump said he combined Cook’s and the company’s name together because it was faster.
“At a recent round table meeting of business executives, & long after formally introducing Tim Cook of Apple, I quickly referred to Tim + Apple as Tim/Apple as an easy way to save time & words,” the president tweeted. “The Fake News was disparagingly all over this, & it became yet another bad Trump story!”
Trump flubbed the Apple CEO’s name during a news conference on Wednesday.
READ MORE: Tim Cook is now Tim Apple on Twitter after Donald Trump name flub
Trump made the gaffe during an American Workforce Policy Advisory Board Meeting at the White House as Cook and the president’s daughter Ivanka Trump were seated next to him.
“You’ve really put a big investment in our country,” Trump said to Cook. “We appreciate it very much, Tim Apple.”
Cook didn’t correct the president, letting Trump to carry on with his remarks.
On Thursday, Cook changed his name on his Twitter bio to include an Apple logo, an apparent ode to Trump’s slip of the tongue.
Though, if you are an Android user, Cook’s name will only appear as “Tim ,” as only Apple and IOS users can see the tweak.
According to official transcript of the roundtable discussion, posted on the White House website, Trump did in fact make the error.
“We have so many companies coming. People like Tim, you’re expanding all over and doing things that I really wanted you to right from the beginning,” reads the transcript. “I used to say, “Tim, you got to start doing it over here.” And you really have. I mean, you’ve really put a big investment in our country. We appreciate it very much, Tim — Apple.”
Sure thing, President Tower.