Trump Vows EU Investigation and Tariffs Over Fines on U.S. Tech Firms

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has declared his intention to investigate the European Union and threatened retaliatory tariffs in response to fines levied against major American technology companies. The move comes just days after the European Commission imposed a €890 million ($1 billion) penalty on Google for allegedly squeezing out competitors.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump asserted that the EU would face a "very big price" for its treatment of Google, as well as other U.S. tech giants like Apple, Meta, and Amazon, which have also been subjects of EU investigations. "The United States of America is not a 'PIGGYBANK' for Europe, nor will we allow it to be!" he wrote, demanding that any fines be "entirely reversed."

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The United States of America is not a "PIGGYBANK" for Europe, nor will we allow it to be!

Trump announced he is initiating a trade investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which empowers the U.S. Trade Representative to examine and act against unfair trade practices. This threat of tariffs follows his recent announcement of new tariffs on 60 trading partners, including the EU, UK, and China. Trump also claimed, without providing specific sources for all figures, that Apple had faced EU fines of $15 billion, Meta $3 billion, and Amazon $2.5 billion.

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We will immediately initiate a 301 investigation over European regulators' alleged practice of "robbing American companies and, in turn, the American taxpayer".