Donald Trump threatens tariffs on countries targeting US tech companies
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Washington: US President Donald Trump warned on Monday that his administration could introduce additional tariffs and export restrictions against countries accused of targeting American technology companies.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that policies such as digital taxes, digital services legislation, and digital markets regulations were designed to disadvantage or discriminate against US tech firms.
Although he did not name specific countries, his remarks appeared directed at European nations and others that have implemented stricter online regulations. For instance, the European Union has introduced the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA), which address competition and content moderation, while the UK has imposed a tax on digital companies.
Trump warned that unless the US sees the removal of what it considers “discriminatory actions,” Washington would respond by placing significant additional tariffs on affected countries’ products and enforcing export controls on American technology and semiconductors, AFP reported.
He asserted that the United States and its technology companies would no longer serve as the “piggy bank” or “doormat” of the world.
In June, Trump halted trade talks with Canada in response to Ottawa’s proposed digital services tax, which would have affected US multinational companies like Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta. Following this move, Canada announced it would withdraw the planned tax targeting American tech firms.
Since returning to the office in January, Trump has imposed tariffs on both allies and competitors, applying different rates to products from various countries. However, certain sectors such as steel, aluminium, and automobiles have been treated separately, facing sector-specific duties rather than blanket countrywide tariffs.
Trump has increasingly used tariffs as a tool to achieve broader policy objectives. For example, US tariffs on Indian products are set to double this week in response to India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, which Washington views as a significant source of funding for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.