Apple and Its Gay CEO Want Nothing to Do With GOP Convention

Apple -- one of the world's most influential tech companies -- is refusing to provide money or technology to the Republican convention in Cleveland, thanks to the party's nominee.

Run by out CEO Tim Cook (pictured), Apple threw down the gaunlet recently, telling the Republicans that they won't be receiving its assistance in August, Politico reports. Apple is at conflict with Trump over the issue of the company unlocking the phones of terrorists, but the tech giant also takes umbrage with the candidate's divisive proposals, including building a wall at the Mexican border and temporarily banning Muslim immigrants.

Apple provided approximately $140,000 in MacBooks and other technology to the Republicans for their 2008 convention, but offered nothing in 2012 to either party since the Democrats declined corporate sponsorship. Apple's role at this year's Democratic convention in Philadelphia remains unclear.

Alabama-born Cook is an outspoken advocate for equal rights, and his company opposes Trump's strict, and some say inhumane, immigration proposals. In contrast to Trump, Cook is supportive of attracting high-skilled foreign workers to the U.S. Whether that influenced Cook's decision more than the issue of encrypted phones is unknown. After the San Bernardino terrorist attack late last year, the FBI sought information from one of the killers' iPhones. Apple refused to unlock the device, saying it could set a dangerous precedent. In response, Trump called for a boycott of the company (after obtaining a court order to unlock the phone, the FBI managed to retrieve the information itself).

Other Silicon Valley giants, including Google, Facebook, and Microsoft, still plan on donating products and services to the Republican convention.