President Donald Trump said his administration will open a trade probe into the European Union after the bloc imposed a new fine on Google and earlier penalties on Apple, Meta and Amazon. In posts on Truth Social, Trump argued that the EU has been unfairly targeting major American technology companies.
He signaled that the investigation would be aimed at reversing or offsetting those penalties and said it would likely lead to a substantial tariff on the EU. The threat adds a new trade dimension to the long-running clash between European regulators and large U.S. tech groups.
The dispute centers on how Europe polices competition and digital markets, an area where Google, Apple, Meta and Amazon have all faced scrutiny or financial penalties. Trump framed the EU's actions as harmful to U.S. business interests and cast a tougher trade response as the answer.
If the administration moves ahead, the proposal could deepen tensions between Washington and Brussels at a time when regulation of global technology firms is already a major flashpoint. For now, Trump's comments point to a more aggressive approach that ties EU tech enforcement directly to U.S. tariff policy.
