Trump announces U.S. investigation into EU tech fines

President Donald Trump announced that the United States will open a formal investigation into the European Union's trade practices after the bloc imposed a €890 million fine on Google for alleged antitrust violations. In a social-media post, Trump said the investigation targets what he described as the EU's practice of fining U.S. tech companies, naming Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon and others.

"The United States of America is not a ‘piggybank’ for Europe, nor will we allow it to be," Trump wrote, adding that the notice serves as a warning of an imminent trade investigation.

The announcement comes a day after the White House introduced new tariffs on imports from more than 60 countries, citing inadequate enforcement of bans on goods made with forced labor. The tariffs are being applied under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the president to act against “unjustifiable,” “unreasonable” or “discriminatory” trade practices.

Google spokesperson José Castañeda said the company has worked to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act and noted its concerns about recent European Commission decisions. Representatives for Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft did not immediately respond, and the European Commission also declined comment.

The EU’s fine against Google is part of a broader enforcement effort targeting large technology firms, which the bloc classifies as “gatekeepers.” European Commission executive vice-president Teresa Ribera said the goal is to ensure that the best products succeed on merit, not because of control over search engines or app stores. Google’s global affairs head Kent Walker criticized the fine, calling it driven by a small group of complainants and claiming it would harm European businesses and consumers.

The United States' planned investigation adds to ongoing tensions between Washington and Brussels over digital regulation and trade policy.