Donald Trump has threatened the European Union with “substantial” additional tariffs following Brussels’ imposition of significant fines on major U.S. technology companies.
The U.S. president accused the EU of targeting American firms—specifically Apple, Meta Platforms, Amazon, and Google—declaring on Truth Social: “The United States of America is not a ‘PIGGYBANK’ for Europe, nor will we allow it to be!”
The escalation follows a €890 million ($1 billion) penalty levied against Google this week for breaching EU competition laws via its search and app store services. Apple and Meta were similarly fined last year under the bloc’s Digital Markets Act.
In his Friday post, Trump vowed to “immediately” launch an investigation into what he described as the EU “‘ROBBING’ American Companies and, in turn, the American Taxpayer,” warning the bloc would “pay a very big price.”
The threat arrived one day after the administration unveiled a sweeping tariff package affecting more than 80 countries, including EU member states.
The European Commission did not immediately respond to Trump’s remarks. When announcing the Google fine on Wednesday, regulators stated the company had given “preferential treatment to its own services, including shopping, hotels, transport and sports results.”
Google welcomed the White House’s intervention. Spokesperson Jose Castaneda said the company had worked extensively to comply with the Digital Markets Act and expressed concern over recent Commission decisions. “We appreciate the engagement by the administration and U.S. government,” he said.
Trump has frequently wielded tariffs—or the threat of them—as leverage against foreign policy decisions unrelated to trade. Last year, he pressured Mexico and Canada with import taxes until they agreed to enhanced border security measures.
Despite legal challenges, the president has pressed ahead with global tariffs, arguing they will revitalize U.S. manufacturing and employment. Wednesday’s announcement includes a 10% levy on EU imports, framed as a response to alleged unfair labor practices.
The EU’s crackdown on Big Tech predates Trump’s current term, rooted in the Digital Markets Act designed to ensure fair competition among digital platforms.
