Trump Weighs Trade Retaliation After EU Fines Google Over Ads, Report Says

HKAN | Sep 7

U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing trade retaliation against the European Union (EU) after regulators imposed a fine on Google over alleged anticompetitive practices in its advertising business.

The report suggests that Trump, who has long criticized the EU over trade imbalances and regulatory crackdowns on American tech giants, views the latest Google ads fine as unfair targeting of U.S. companies.

The EU has been increasingly strict on Big Tech, with Google, Apple, and Meta facing a series of fines and antitrust cases in recent years. The latest penalty against Google, centered on its advertising dominance, has further strained transatlantic relations.

If Trump follows through with retaliatory trade measures, it could heighten tensions between the U.S. and EU, potentially impacting tariffs, cross-border trade policies, and the broader tech sector.

This development comes amid growing global scrutiny of digital advertising practices and rising concerns over monopoly power in the tech industry.