(DUBLIN) – Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook on Thursday described the European Union’s imposition of a 13 billion euro ($14.5 billion) back tax bill as “total political crap” motivated in part by anti-U.S. bias, the Irish Independent reported.
Cook told the newspaper in an interview he would work closely with Ireland to try to overturn the decision and said the U.S. tech giant was committed to its operations in Ireland.
“No one did anything wrong here and we need to stand together. Ireland is being picked on and this is unacceptable,” Cook was quoted as saying by the newspaper. “It’s total political crap.”
He said anti-U.S. bias was “one reason why we could have been targeted,” the newspaper reported.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Taylor Swift Is TIME's 2023 Person of the Year
- Meet the Nation Builders
- Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse
- Column: It's Time to Scrap the Abraham Accords
- Israeli Family Celebrates Release of Hostage Grandmother
- In a New Movie, Beyoncé Finds Freedom
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time