Donald Trump threatened severe consequences for the European Union on Friday, vowing tariffs and a formal trade probe after Brussels slapped Google with a hefty antitrust fine. The US president took to his Truth Social platform to lash out at what he characterized as "illegal and highly unethical conduct" by the bloc.
Trump said he'd "immediately initiate a 301 Investigation" into the EU's alleged practice of "ROBBING" American companies. He also pledged a "substantial TARIFF" on the bloc "at the earliest possible moment."
"The United States of America is not a 'PIGGYBANK' for Europe, nor will we allow it to be," he wrote.
Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act empowers Washington to investigate foreign practices deemed discriminatory and retaliate with duties. Trump's tirade arrived one day after the White House unveiled sweeping new tariffs of 10 to 12.5 percent targeting 60 trading partners, including the EU.
The fresh duties took effect Friday following investigations grounded in the same legal tool. Trump has been working to restore his tariff authority after the US Supreme Court struck down many of his levies in February.
The European Commission hit Google with a €890 million ($1 billion) fine Thursday for violating the Digital Markets Act, a major law regulating dominant online platforms. This marked the first penalty imposed on the tech giant under the legislation.
Brussels handed down two separate penalties: €460 million for favoring Google's own shopping, hotel, transport and sports services in search results, and €430 million for blocking app developers from directing users toward cheaper alternatives outside the Google Play store.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer already criticized the enforcement action Thursday, warning it undermined "constructive dialogue" and posed a "real risk" to transatlantic trade stability.
The DMA allows the Commission to fine tech gatekeepers up to 10 percent of global annual revenue for breaches, and up to 20 percent for repeat violations. An EU official noted Thursday's fines represented just 0.22 percent of Google's turnover.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen insisted Europe wouldn't back down from enforcing its rules. "We are very committed to our rules," she told reporters.
EU officials have repeatedly maintained their digital rulebook doesn't target American firms, though Washington consistently dismisses that claim. US technology giants have strengthened ties with the White House since Trump returned to office in January 2025, with several companies directly lobbying the president over European regulation.
The escalating tensions test the trade agreement Washington and Brussels struck last year, which saw the US lower duties on European cars in exchange for EU concessions. Both sides crafted the deal to sidestep a costly trade war, and it cleared its final legal hurdles in the EU only recently.
