Trump Administration Threatens EU With Tariffs and Section 301 Probe Over DMA and DSA Enforcement Against US Tech Companies

The Trump administration on January 12, 2026 escalated threats against the EU's Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act enforcement, warning of "immediate and substantial retaliation" if Brussels proceeded with fines expected to exceed €100 billion collectively against Apple, Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft. The USTR announced preparation of a Section 301 investigation and named European companies — including Spotify, SAP, Siemens, and Airbus — as potential retaliation targets. EU competition chief Teresa Ribera called US tactics "blackmail" and insisted EU digital rules were non-negotiable.