President Donald Trump announced Friday that his administration will launch a trade investigation into the European Union in response to fines levied against American technology companies, threatening “substantial” tariffs on the 27-member bloc.
In a lengthy social media post, Trump accused the EU of robbing U.S. companies and taxpayers, citing a recent $1 billion fine against Google for allegedly giving search priority to its own services. The president characterized the EU’s actions as targeting “GREAT American Companies” and declared the behavior would not continue under his administration.
The fine Trump referenced — totaling 890 million euros — was imposed by the European Commission this week for Google’s alleged noncompliance with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act, legislation designed to scrutinize Big Tech practices. While Trump claimed the penalty was issued “without explanation,” the European Commission released a statement Wednesday detailing the reasons for the fine.
Section 301 Investigation
Trump said the United States will immediately begin an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the imposition of tariffs in response to practices deemed to unfairly burden American commerce. His administration has already launched multiple probes using this tariff authority.
Earlier Friday, the administration imposed new duties between 10% and 12.5% on goods from more than 80 countries, including EU member states, over alleged forced labor issues. Those tariffs drew swift legal challenge, with a lawsuit filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade by Friday afternoon.
The suit, brought by the Liberty Justice Center representing two small businesses, argues the federal government is improperly using Section 301 to effectively reinstate Trump’s 2025 “liberation day” tariffs, which the Supreme Court struck down earlier this year.
History of EU Tech Penalties
Trump’s statement also referenced previous European fines against other major U.S. technology companies, including Apple, Meta and Amazon. The European Union has been increasingly aggressive in regulating American tech giants, using antitrust laws and new digital regulations to impose penalties and enforce competitive practices.
“The European Union will pay a very big price for this illegal and highly unethical conduct, which I have consistently warned them about,” Trump wrote, promising that “the penalties will be entirely reversed” and anticipating a substantial tariff “at the earliest possible moment.”
The president’s remarks signal potential escalation in trade tensions between the United States and Europe, raising questions about the future of transatlantic economic relations and the regulatory environment facing American technology companies operating abroad.
Source: www.cnbc.com — https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/24/trump-tariffs-eu-trade-google-apple-tech.html
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