In brief
US President Donald Trump has warned the EU of a trade investigation and possible tariffs in response to the European Commission's €890m fine on Google for anti‑competitive practices. Trump demanded a full reversal of the fine, calling for an immediate 301 investigation into the EU's regulatory actions and hinted at a substantial tariff rise. These threats come a day after Trump announced new tariffs on 60 trading partners, including the EU, UK and China. Google’s liaison said the company has complied with the Digital Markets Act but expressed concern over the impact of recent EU decisions.
US President Donald Trump has declared an investigation into the European Union over its latest fine on Big Tech and warned of a fresh tariff increase. Trump posted on his corporate platform that the EU should face a "very big price" for squeezing American tech giants, including Google, Apple, Meta and Amazon.
The announcement sparks days after the European Commission imposed an €890m penalty on Google, citing restrictive practices that hurt competitors. Trump said any fines should be "entirely reversed" and pledged a trade investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Section 301 gives the Office of the United States Trade Representative the power to probe unfair trade practices. The Trump administration has opened several such investigations since last year and will add this one to the list.
The tariff threat comes one day after Trump announced new tariffs on 60 trading partners—including the EU, UK and China—ranging from 10 % to 12.5 %. This move is part of his broader trade‑policy strategy.
Google spokesman Jose Castañeda told the BBC the company has worked hard to comply with the Digital Markets Act but has concerns over recent European Commission decisions. "We appreciate the engagement by the administration and US government," he added.
Trump also cited other penalties: Apple faced an approximate $15bn fine, Meta about $3bn and Amazon $2.5bn, all from EU regulators. Officials from Meta, Apple, Amazon and the European Commission were contacted for comment.
Prior to his election, Trump received a direct call from Apple CEO Tim Cook complaining about these fines. The call followed Apple's loss in an unpaid‑tax dispute with European authorities.
