President Donald Trump has announced plans to launch an investigation into the European Union, warning that new tariffs may be imposed in response to heavy fines levied against prominent American technology firms. This move follows a recent decision by the European Commission to penalize Google with an 890 million euro fine for anti-competitive practices.
In a message shared on Truth Social, Trump declared that the EU would face serious consequences for its treatment of Google and other major corporations, including Apple, Meta, and Amazon. He insisted that such financial penalties should be retracted and stated that he is initiating a trade inquiry under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act. This legislation grants the U.S. Trade Representative authority to respond to trade practices deemed unfair.
Trump emphasized that the United States would not tolerate being treated like a financial resource for Europe. He further claimed that Apple, Meta, and Amazon have faced billions in European fines collectively. This threat of new tariffs coincides with a broader push from the administration to implement levies on various global trading partners. While Google stated it has worked to comply with the European Digital Markets Act, representatives for the other involved tech giants and the European Commission have yet to provide detailed responses.
