In a surprise move on his own platform, President Donald Trump said the United States would launch a trade investigation into the European Union and that it would soon face a ‘substantial tariff’ because of what he described as unfair fines against major American tech firms.
The announcement came a day after the European Commission slapped a €890 million fine on Google for allegedly favoring its own services over rivals. Trump also cited alleged sanctions on Apple, Meta and Amazon, alleging fines ranging from $15bn to $2.5bn.
“The United States of America is not a piggybank for Europe, nor will we allow it to be!” Trump wrote. He insisted all fines should be “entirely reversed” and that a 301 investigation – a tool that lets the U.S. trade office probe unfair practices – would be launched.
That same week, Trump announced new tariffs of between 10% and 12.5% on 60 trading partners, including the EU, UK and China. Earlier this month he threatened a full 100% import tariff on countries that impose a digital services tax on American tech giants.
The president’s calls for action came as major U.S. tech firms – Google, Apple, Meta and Amazon – have donated millions to his campaign and presidency. In response, Google’s spokesperson José Castañeda said the company had “worked hard to comply” with the EU’s Digital Markets Act while still voicing concerns about recent regulatory decisions.
It is unclear where Trump’s figures on the fines came from, and representatives of Apple, Meta, Amazon and the European Commission have yet to comment. The EU has repeatedly said that fines are the result of evidence that firms abused their market position to stifle competition.
