Trump threatens tariffs over digital taxes targeting US tech firms
President Donald Trump on Monday issued a warning to countries enforcing digital taxes, threatening to impose steep additional tariffs on their exports if the measures are not withdrawn.
In a social media post, Trump said: “With this TRUTH, I put all countries with digital taxes, legislation, rules or regulations on notice that unless these discriminatory actions are removed, I, as President of the United States, will impose substantial additional tariffs on that country’s exports to the USA, and institute export restrictions on our highly protected technology and chips.”
The president accused foreign governments of unfairly targeting American technology companies such as Google, Meta, Apple and Amazon, while exempting rivals, particularly from China.
Sources revealed that the administration is weighing sanctions against European Union officials linked to the bloc’s landmark Digital Services Act, which imposes strict obligations and taxes on digital service providers.
The threat marks the latest escalation in a long-running dispute between Washington and its trading partners, particularly in Europe, where governments have sought to collect taxes from large digital firms operating within their jurisdictions.
Trump has previously threatened tariffs against Canada and France over similar measures. In February, he directed US trade officials to reopen investigations into countries that levy digital service taxes, laying the groundwork for retaliatory duties.
In a related development, the administration is also considering taking stakes in key defence and aerospace contractors, including Lockheed Martin and Boeing, to tighten control over critical industries amid mounting trade disputes.
