Donald Trump has announced that the United States will launch an investigation into the European Union over fines imposed on its leading technology firms.
This comes only days after the European Commission fined Google €890 million (about $1 billion) for allegedly stifling competition.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that the EU would pay a “very big price” for its treatment of Google and other American tech giants such as Apple, Meta and Amazon, all of which have faced investigations.
“The United States of America is not a PIGGYBANK for Europe, nor will we allow it to be!” he wrote.
Trump said any fines should be entirely reversed and that a trade investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act would be started, potentially leading to a significant tariff.
Section 301 gives the Office of the United States Trade Representative power to probe unfair trade practices. The second Trump administration has already launched several such investigations.
The tariff threat follows a day after Trump announced new tariffs of 10%–12.5% on 60 trading partners, including the EU, UK and China.
Last month he also threatened a 100% import tariff on any European nation that imposes a digital services tax on U.S. technology giants.
Google’s chief spokesman José Castañeda told Reuters that the company had “worked hard to comply” with the Digital Markets Act, though it expressed concerns about recent EU decisions.
The fine against Amazon, while significant, was largely avoided after a 2022 settlement with regulators. A Luxembourg court had also imposed an 800 million‑USD data‑protection fine that was later overturned.
Trump’s claims about additional fines for Apple ($15 bn), Meta ($3 bn) and Amazon ($2.5 bn) were not verified; representatives and the EU have not yet commented.
The U.S. tech companies have donated millions to Trump’s campaign and presidency, blurring the lines between corporate influence and policy decisions.
