Trump threatens tariffs and Section 301 probe after EU fines Google 890 million euros for DMA violations
The US president announced a Section 301 investigation and promised significant tariffs after Brussels imposed an 890-million-euro penalty on Google for breaching the Digital Markets Act.
EU fine for DMA breach
On Thursday, the European Commission fined Google 890 million euros after finding the company violated the Digital Markets Act. The Commission said Google favoured its own services in search results and restricted access to alternative, often cheaper offers in the Google Play store. Google now has 60 days to bring its services into compliance with EU law. If it fails, the company faces periodic penalties of up to 5 percent of its global turnover.
Trump calls it 'illegal and discriminatory'
Within a day, President Donald Trump used his Truth Social platform to condemn the penalty. He listed previous EU fines on US tech firms: 15 billion dollars on Apple, 3 billion dollars on Meta and 2.5 billion dollars on Amazon, among others. Trump claimed the latest Google fine was another 1 billion dollars, bringing total penalties on Google to over 18 billion dollars.
The European Union is at it again and, as usual, targeting directly GREAT American companies!
He argued the pattern started during Joe Biden's presidency.
This illegal and highly discriminatory practice began at the highest levels of government in the first year of the 'Sleepy Joe' Biden administration, but it will not continue under the Trump administration.
- Apple
- 15 $ billion
- Meta
- 3 $ billion
- Amazon
- 2.5 $ billion
- Google (latest)
- 1 $ billion
Immediate Section 301 investigation
Trump declared that the United States would not be a "piggy bank" for Europe and announced an immediate investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The administration has been using that provision to build a new tariff architecture after the US Supreme Court struck down an earlier global tariff package.
Treat this TRUTH post as notice that we will immediately begin a Section 301 investigation into the 'ROBBING' of American companies, and therefore American taxpayers.
Tariff threats and demands for reversal
Trump insisted the fine would be reversed entirely and threatened to impose significant tariffs on the European Union at the earliest possible moment.
The European Union will pay a very high price for this illegal and highly unethical conduct, which I have consistently warned them about. The fines will be completely reversed, and furthermore we expect significant TARIFFS to be imposed on them at the earliest possible date.
- European Commission fines Google 890 million euros for DMA violations.
- Trump threatens Section 301 investigation and tariffs, demands fines be reversed.
- Google must bring services into DMA compliance or face periodic fines up to 5% of global turnover.
What happens next
Google now has a 60-day window to adjust its practices under the DMA. Meanwhile, the White House has not yet announced a timeline for the Section 301 probe or any specific tariff rates. The move escalates an already tense transatlantic trade relationship, particularly over digital regulation, and sets the stage for a potential trade conflict with Brussels.
