Trump orders EU trade probe over $1B Google fine

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his administration is launching an immediate formal trade investigation into the European Union's regulatory practices.

The move comes in direct response to Brussels imposing an €890 million ($1 billion) fine on Google under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

On July 23, 2026, the European Commission fined Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc., in two separate decisions: €460 million for "self-preferencing" its own services (including Google Shopping, Hotels, and Flights) on Search results, and €430 million for restrictive steering practices on the Google Play Store.

In a statement on social media, Trump declared that the U.S. is launching an immediate Section 301 investigation. 

He accused the EU of "ROBBING" American companies and warned that "the United States of America is not a 'PIGGYBANK' for Europe."

Trump said the penalties imposed on Google, along with previous fines against other U.S. tech giants including Apple, Meta and Amazon, "will be entirely reversed."

He added that his administration anticipates "a substantial TARIFF" will be imposed on the European Union "at the earliest possible moment."

In response, Google spokesperson José Castañeda welcomed Washington’s intervention. Kent Walker, Google's President of Global Affairs, argued that forcing compliance with the DMA degrades products for European consumers by stripping away live search features and compromising Play Store security.

Section 301:

Section 301 authorizes U.S. the President to take enforcement action, including imposing tariffs, if foreign government regulations unfairly burden or restrict U.S. commerce.

As reported, the dispute re-ignites transatlantic economic tensions shortly after the White House separately announced double-digit tariffs on imports under Section 301.

European regulators maintain that DMA enforcement applies equally to all digital "gatekeepers" to protect fair market competition within the 27-nation bloc.