American businessman Tim Cook looks on at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 20, 2026.
Ludovic Marin | AFP | Getty Images
apple CEO Tim Cook said in a memo to employees this week that he was “heartbroken” by the situation in Minneapolis and called for de-escalation, CNBC confirmed Wednesday.
“Now is the time to relax,” Cook wrote in a memo obtained by Bloomberg, which first reported the news. “I believe America is strongest when we live up to our highest ideals, treat all people with dignity and respect, no matter who they are or where they come from, and embrace our common humanity.”
Cook said he had a “good conversation” with President Donald Trump this week discussing his concerns and expressed gratitude for the president’s “willingness to address issues that are important to all of us.”
Cook did not directly address the two fatal shootings by federal agents.
A growing list of leaders and billionaires are speaking out after Renee Nicole Good and Alex Preti were shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis this month.
Multiple news outlets reported that OpenAI’s Sam Altman said in a message to employees that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is “going too far.” “Politics exists, but humanity needs to get over it,” LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman wrote about X this week.
Many executives remain silent about what is happening in Minneapolis.
This is a stark contrast to 2020. metaMark Zuckerberg has spoken out against the death of George Floyd in a Midwestern city and donated millions of dollars to racial justice organizations.
In 2020, Cook sent a lengthy email to employees condemning Floyd’s killing and addressing discrimination and inequality in the United States.
“To come together, we must stand up for each other and recognize the fear, hurt, and anger rightly caused by the senseless killing of George Floyd and a much longer history of racism,” he wrote at the time.
The screening of the documentary “Melania” at the White House on Saturday, the same day that ICU nurse Preti was killed, drew scrutiny from US technology leaders, several of whom attended the private event.
cook, Amazonwith andy jassy advanced micro deviceAccording to multiple media outlets, Lisa Su was also in attendance.
According to The Intercept, Apple employees were reportedly furious about Cook’s attendance.
WATCH: Federal agent shoots and kills Alex Preti: Here’s what you need to know
