U.S. president Donald Trump has promised to impose tariffs on nations that “discriminate” against U.S. technology firms. Beneficiaries could include Amazon, Apple, Google, and Meta.
Trump claims that taxes and regulation are all forms of anti-American discrimination. In the European Union, this could apply to Brussels’s Digital Services Act (DSA), previously criticised for baking risk aversion—and worse—into its economy. Likewise, Britain’s Online Safety Act could be in the firing line—not least after Vice President J.D. Vance faced down the Labour government’s plans to snoop on private communications on Apple devices. In addition to the EU-wide picture, individual states such as France, Italy, and Spain currently have their own measures in place.
According to Trump
As the president of the United States, I will stand up to countries that attack our incredible American tech companies. Unless these discriminatory actions are removed, I, as president of the United States, will impose substantial additional tariffs on that country’s exports to the USA, and institute export restrictions on our highly protected technology and chips.
The U.S. measures would be derived from Defending American Companies and Innovators from Overseas Extortion and Unfair Fines and Penalties, an executive order signed in February 2025.
This approach could be paying off already. June saw Canada scrap its digital services tax, described by Trump as a “direct and blatant” attack.
