US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened the European Union with new customs tariffs and with opening a formal trade investigation following the fine imposed by Brussels on Google for anti-competitive practices.

Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social network that the bloc "will pay a very high price for its illegal and highly unethical behavior, which I have warned about repeatedly."

Massive tariffs

He said he would "immediately order an investigation under Section 301" into what he called the EU's "looting" of American companies, referring to "massive tariffs" that would be imposed "as soon as possible."

Related news

He stressed that "the United States is not Europe's piggy bank and will not be."

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 allows the United States to investigate foreign practices it considers discriminatory and to respond by imposing tariffs.

Google fines

On Thursday, the European Union imposed two fines on Google totaling €890 million ($1 billion). The bloc fined the American giant €460 million for illegally favoring its own services, such as Google Flights and Google Hotels, over competitors in search results. The second fine, worth €430 million, was imposed because Google did not allow app developers to display free offers to consumers outside its Google Play store.

Digital Markets Act

These fines on Google are the largest against a single company under the competition law known as the Digital Markets Act, after the EU imposed fines of €200 million on Meta and €500 million on Apple in 2025. The law came into effect in 2024 and aims to curb what the EU considers abuses by big tech companies, in an effort to ensure fair competition in the digital sphere.

Relations with Washington

The fines on Google had been expected for months as part of an investigation launched in 2024, but Brussels faced accusations of delaying the move for fear of damaging relations with Washington. This measure came days before the first anniversary of the tariff agreement between Washington and the European Commission, which helped ease trade tensions.

American tech companies

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement on Thursday that the fine poses "a real risk to the stability of transatlantic relations." He added: "The European Union consistently claims it seeks stability and transparency in our trade relations, yet this type of action creates uncertainty regarding US exports of goods and services." The Trump administration has previously accused Brussels of targeting American tech companies, threatening to retaliate against the EU by imposing tariffs.