‘US Tech Firms Not Your Piggy Bank’: Trump Threatens Fresh Tariffs Over Digital Taxes
US President Donald Trump has issued a new and aggressive trade threat, warning that countries imposing digital services taxes on American technology companies will face “substantial additional tariffs” and potential export restrictions if the measures are not withdrawn. In a fiery post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared that he would not allow US tech giants to be treated as the world’s “piggy bank.”
The President’s warning takes direct aim at policies, primarily in Europe, that levy taxes on the revenue of large digital firms like Google, Meta, Apple, and Amazon. Trump argued that these taxes are discriminatory and unfairly target American companies while giving a “complete pass to China’s largest tech companies.”
“As the President of the United States, I will stand up to countries that attack our incredible American tech companies,” Trump wrote. “This must end, and end NOW!” He threatened to retaliate with “substantial additional tariffs” on products from those countries and “export restrictions” on American technology and chips. “Show respect to America and our amazing tech companies or, consider the consequences!” he concluded.
The issue of digital services taxes has been a major irritant in transatlantic trade relations for years, with both the Trump and previous administrations arguing that they unfairly single out US firms. Trump had previously threatened tariffs against countries like France and Canada over similar tax policies.
This latest threat injects fresh uncertainty into global markets and could escalate tensions with key allies. It comes just days after the White House announced other tariffs and follows a recent joint statement with the European Union where both sides pledged to avoid imposing new duties on electronic transmissions. The mercurial nature of the announcement puts a question mark on such diplomatic understandings and signals a potential new front in the administration’s ongoing trade battles.
