President Donald Trump vowed vengeance on Europe Friday.
Trump, set off by news the American technology company Google had been fined more than $1 billion by the European Commission, promised to open an investigation into the European Union in a lengthy 200-plus-word rant.
“The United States of America is not a ‘PIGGYBANK’ for Europe, nor will we allow it to be! Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that we will immediately initiate a 301 Investigation into the practice of ‘ROBBING’ American Companies and, in turn, the American Taxpayer,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
“The European Union will pay a very big price for this illegal and highly unethical conduct, which I have consistently warned them about. The penalties will be entirely reversed and, we anticipate, a substantial TARIFF to be placed on them at the earliest possible moment. Stay tuned!”
Google was accused by the European Commission of “self-preferencing its own services on Google Search, and for putting in place restrictions on businesses to direct consumers to alternative, often cheaper, purchase channels on Google Play,” a violation of the Digital Markets Act.