President Donald Trump announced that the United States is opening a formal investigation into European Union trade practices, accusing the bloc of unfairly targeting American technology giants with billions of dollars in fines.
Background
The announcement came just one day after European regulators penalized Google 890 million euros, or roughly $1 billion, for violating digital antitrust rules by using its search engine and the Google Play store to direct consumers toward its own apps and services, disadvantaging competitors.
In a social media post, Trump said he had repeatedly cautioned European leaders against fining major U.S. corporations, pointing specifically to Google, Apple, Meta, and Amazon. He stated that the new inquiry will examine the practice of targeting American companies and, in turn, the American taxpayer.
The president warned of swift economic retaliation and declared that the European penalties against American firms will be entirely reversed. He also stated that a substantial tariff would be placed on the EU at the earliest possible moment.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
