Trending 
US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs and launch a formal trade investigation into the European Union after the bloc fined Google €890 million ($1 billion) for breaching its digital competition rules.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, Trump described the EU’s action as “illegal and highly unethical,” warning that the bloc would face serious consequences.
He said his administration would immediately begin a Section 301 trade investigation into what he called the EU’s treatment of American companies and indicated that substantial tariffs could follow.
Trump accused the European Union of exploiting US businesses, insisting the United States would no longer serve as a financial “piggybank” for Europe.
“The United States of America is not a ‘PIGGYBANK’ for Europe, nor will we allow it to be,” he wrote.
A Section 301 investigation, conducted under the US Trade Act of 1974, allows Washington to examine foreign trade practices it considers unfair and impose retaliatory measures, including tariffs.
The European Commission announced the penalties on Thursday, marking Google’s first sanctions under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the bloc’s landmark legislation aimed at regulating dominant digital platforms.
The company was fined €460 million for allegedly favouring its own services, including shopping, hotel, transport and sports platforms, in search results, while a separate €430 million penalty related to restrictions that prevented app developers from directing users to cheaper offers outside the Google Play Store.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also criticised the decision, warning that it could undermine ongoing cooperation between Washington and Brussels and threaten transatlantic trade relations.
Despite the criticism, EU officials have maintained that the Digital Markets Act applies equally to all companies and is not designed to target American technology firms.
