Former President Donald Trump has pledged to investigate the European Union over fines imposed on American technology companies, accusing the EU of exploiting U.S. businesses. According to BBC and AppleInsider. The investigation,launched via Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974—could lead to new tariffs against the EU and other trade restrictions, as the announcement follows a 890 million euro ($997 million) fine against Google for violating the EU’s Digital Markets Act.

EU Imposes Significant Fines on Tech Giants

Trump cited fines totaling $15 billion against Apple, $3 billion against Meta, and $2.5 billion against Amazon, though the source of these figures has not been confirmed. According to AppleInsider, Google was fined 460 million euros ($517 million) for favoring its own services in search results and 430 million euros ($483 million) for restricting how users access alternative purchasing options in Google Play. José Castañeda, a Google spokesman, stated the company had “worked hard to comply” with the EU’s Digital Markets Act but had “expressed concerns about the impact of recent EC decisions.”

Section 301 Investigation as a Trade Tool

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 grants the U.S. Trade Representative the authority to investigate foreign trade practices it deems unfair. According to BBC, Trump’s second administration has already launched multiple such investigations since last year. In his social media post, Trump wrote, “The United States of America is not a PIGGYBANK for Europe, nor will we allow it to be.” He warned the EU that the investigation could lead to “a substantial tariff” but did not specify a rate or a timeline.

Political and Corporate Reactions

Trump’s move follows pressure from 25 Republican lawmakers who urged the administration to challenge the EU’s Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act using Section 301. According to BBC, Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, had directly contacted Trump before the 2024 election to voice concerns over EU fines. In the post, Trump also mentioned that major tech companies, including Google, Meta, Apple, and Amazon, have donated millions to his campaign and presidency. Representatives from Apple, Meta, Amazon, and the European Commission have not yet responded to the new accusations.

AppleInsider noted that the U.S. investigation cannot overturn the EU’s legal decisions or erase fines already imposed. Apple and Google will have to separately challenge these penalties within the European legal system.