Trump has threatened the EU with new tariffs for ‘robbing American companies and, in turn, the American taxpayer’.
US president Donald Trump has taken to social media to protest an antitrust case which saw Google fined €890m by the European Union (EU).
In a post on his social network platform, Truth Social, Trump proclaimed the EU would pay a “very big price” for its treatment of American big tech companies like Google, Apple, Meta, and Amazon, which he claimed amounted to “illegal and highly unethical conduct”.
“The United States of America is not a “PIGGYBANK” for Europe, nor will we allow it to be!” he wrote. “The European Union is at it again and, as usual, taking direct aim at GREAT American companies!”
The president argued any fines should be “entirely reversed”, warning that he was considering imposing a “substantial” tariff and initiating a “301” trade investigation into the EU.
This refers to Section 31 of the US Trade Act 1974, which allows tariffs to be imposed in response to practices found to unfairly burden US commerce.
It’s worth noting that Apple, Meta, Google, and Amazon donated $1m each to Trump’s inauguration fund, as well as to his 2024 presidential campaign.
In fact, Apple chief executive Tim Cook once called the president directly to complain about EU fines against his company after it received penalties amid a dispute about unpaid taxes.
Google is far from alone in receiving a penalty from the European Commission. Apple, Meta, and social media platform X (formerly Twitter) have been investigated for antitrust and digital rule violations.
Tensions have risen between Brussels and Silicon Valley over accusations of growing overreach and power from both sides with the European Commission issuing over $7bn (roughly £5.25bn) in fines to US big tech companies in the past two years.
