Talks with TSMC about bringing advanced chip production to the U.S. began in 2018, during Trump's first term.
"I set up a phone call between the chairman of TSMC and the head of Apple," said Wilbur Ross, who was commerce secretary at the time. "Apple became very strongly supportive of the idea of TSMC coming."
Rose Castanares, a 26-year company veteran and now president of TSMC Arizona, was also involved with the early conversations. Customers "wanted supply resilience," Castanares said.