Trump threatens 100% tariff on European nations over tech tax

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, US President Donald Trump speaks during an event in the Oval Office of the White House on June 22, 2026 in Washington, DC.

US president Donald Trump has vowed to impose a 100% import tariff on any European country that introduces a digital services tax on American technology giants.

Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said "Numerous European countries" had been discussing bringing in such a levy and some were close to doing so.

He warned that the punitive penalties would be applied immediately and would completely "supersede" any existing bilateral trade agreements.

While the post targets nations planning the "imminent implementation" of new levies, the precise implications for the UK were not immediately clear, given London has had such a tax in place since 2020.

"Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America," he wrote.

Britain's 2% Digital Services Tax (DST) applies to major search engines, social media platforms, and online marketplaces with global revenues from their digital businesses exceeding £500 million, and total UK revenues surpassing £25 million.

It impacts some of the largest US companies, including Apple, Google, Meta, and Amazon and raised more than £800 million in 2024–25, up from £678 million in 2023–24, according to the Treasury.

In April, Trump said that the UK faced "a big tariff" for purportedly targeting major US companies with a tax.

"They think they're going to make an easy buck, that's why they've all taken advantage of our country", Trump said at the time.

The Department for Business and Trade and the Treasury have been contacted for comment.

Trump's threat of retaliation against European nations that may be planning to launch or revise their own such tax comes just days after the US and EU finali, externalsed a new trade deal, external.