Trump launches US trade probe after EU Google fine
Washington has opened a formal investigation into EU trade practices following an €890 million antitrust penalty on Google, threatening a fragile transatlantic trade deal.
US President Donald Trump has ordered a formal trade investigation into the European Union, responding directly to the €890 million antitrust fine imposed on Google on Thursday.
Trump accused Brussels of extracting billions from American technology companies. “The United States of America is not a ‘PIGGYBANK’ for Europe, nor will we allow it to be!” he wrote, describing the probe as a response to the practice of “ROBBING” American firms.
Washington has long argued that Brussels uses its regulatory power to unfairly extract revenue from abroad. Trump doubled down on that view, stating: “The European Union will pay a very big price for this illegal and highly unethical conduct, which I have consistently warned them about.”
The penalty, issued under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, targeted Google for its dominance in the European digital market. The action followed a letter from 25 US lawmakers this week urging an investigation ahead of the anticipated fine. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warned that the penalty jeopardises both ongoing discussions about digital regulation and the broader trade deal struck last year.
For businesses and investors, this turns EU tech regulation into a direct geopolitical risk. The Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act have been labelled by Washington as non-tariff barriers aimed disproportionately at US firms. A formal US trade probe now opens the door to retaliatory tariffs on European goods, threatening economic stability just months after a negotiated truce.
The European Commission is moving to contain the fallout. Chief spokesperson Paula Pinho noted that the US had left the door open for talks. “There’s a call for dialogue which we fully embrace,” she said, while emphasising that Brussels would maintain its regulatory “autonomy”.
European officials, however, remain wary of further friction. Bernd Lange, the European Parliament’s trade chief, said he expects additional escalation from Washington. Lange was a lead negotiator on the July 2025 agreement between Trump and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, yet he acknowledged that transatlantic relations remain highly volatile.
This latest probe caps a tense week for transatlantic commerce. On Thursday, the White House unveiled a new tariff regime targeting the EU over forced labour allegations. Brussels chose not to retaliate, calculating that the new measures stayed within the 15 percent cap on EU goods established by last year's deal.
Greer indicated that Washington's patience with EU tech rules has run out. “We are trying to resolve our concerns with the EU’s Digital Markets Act and other actions through responsible, constructive dialogue,” he stated. “The EU’s recent actions undermine these efforts and pose a real risk to the continuation of transatlantic stability with respect to trade.”
