“The European Union is at it again and, as usual, taking direct aim at GREAT American Companies!” President Trump wrote in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, declaring that “the United States of America is not a PIGGYBANK for Europe, nor will we allow it to be!”

The outburst came after the European Commission, the EU’s executive and antitrust enforcement arm, fined Google $1 billion (890 million euros) over its alleged favouring of its own services, such as shopping and travel listings, in search results, and for restricting app developers from directing users to cheaper deals outside the Google Play Store. It marked Google’s first penalty under the bloc’s Digital Markets Act, the EU’s flagship law aimed at curbing the power of dominant online platforms.

President Trump described Google as “a truly advanced and amazing company.” He also pointed to earlier fines the EU had imposed on Apple, which he claimed came “without any reason” and totalled $15 billion, as well as on Meta ($3 billion) and Amazon ($2.5 billion). With the latest penalty, he said, the total fines levied against Google alone now exceed $18 billion.

President Trump claimed the practice began “at such a high level” during the first year of “Sleepy Joe” Biden’s administration, but insisted it would not continue under his own. He said he would immediately launch an investigation under Section 301, a rarely invoked US trade law provision that lets Washington impose punitive measures against practices it deems unfair to American businesses, into the practice of “ROBBING” American companies and, in turn, the American taxpayer.

“The European Union will pay a very heavy price for this illegal and highly unethical conduct, which I have repeatedly warned them about,” he added.

President Trump said the fines would be “entirely reversed” and that, in his words, “a substantial TARIFF” would be placed on the bloc “at the earliest possible moment.”