(The Hill) — President Donald Trump has warned that additional tariffs might be levied on countries that do not eliminate digital taxes, claiming these taxes negatively impact U.S. technology.
“As the President of the United States, I will stand up to countries that target our amazing American tech companies. Digital taxes, digital services legislation, and digital markets regulations are crafted to harm or unfairly target American technology,” Trump stated on Truth Social on Monday evening.
“They also, outrageously, give a complete pass to China’s largest Tech Companies,” he continued. “This must end, and end NOW!”
He pointed out that in response to digital services taxes — referred to as DSTs — used by trade partners, he plans to enforce export restrictions on semiconductors and other technologies.
“Through this statement, I’m warning all countries with digital taxes, legislation, rules, or regulations that unless these unfair actions are eliminated, I, as President of the United States, will impose significant additional tariffs on that country’s exports to the U.S., and initiate export restrictions on our highly secured technology and chips,” Trump added.
Trump also asserted that “America and American technology companies are not the ‘piggy bank’ or the ‘doormat’ of the world anymore. Show respect to America and our remarkable tech companies or face the repercussions!”
Trump has put pressure on other countries to drop DSTs, arguing that they discriminate against U.S. tech giants like Amazon, Meta and Alphabet.
Earlier in June, Canada was set to implement the initial payment of a new tech tax but retracted when Trump halted trade discussions with the northern neighbor over the proposal. After Ottawa decided to withdraw its DST, trade negotiations between the U.S. and Canada resumed.
