Trump Announces EU Investigation and Tariff Threat Over Big Tech Fines

On Tuesday, former United States President Donald Trump announced that the US will launch a formal investigation into the European Union following its hefty fines on top American tech firms. The EU recently levied €890 m (about $1 bn) on Google for ant‑competitive practices, while Apple, Meta and Amazon face $15 bn, $3 bn and $2.5 bn fines respectively.

Trump threw out the line that “the United States of America is not a pig‑bank for Europe,” and insisted all EU penalties should be “entirely reversed.” In a post to his Truth Social site, the former president announced a 301 trade investigation – a tool that gives the Office of the United States Trade Representative the power to audit alleged unfair trade practices – and hinted at a “substantial tariff.”

The push for tariffs comes on top of Trump’s recent 10‑12% tariff approach applied to 60 trading partners, including the EU, UK and China. The move signals an escalation of the long‑standing battle between the US and Europe over the role of big tech and regulatory standards.

Google spokesperson José Castañeda told the BBC that the company had “worked hard to comply” with the European Digital Markets Act, but “expressed concerns about the impact of recent EC decisions.” Castañeda added that the US government’s engagement was welcome.

Representatives from Meta, Apple and Amazon, as well as officials from the European Commission, were reached out for comment. Trump claimed that just before the 2024 election, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook called him to complain about EU fines – a call that followed a dispute over unpaid taxes that had long plagued Apple.