Macron wants EU action against US tech companies after Trump’s tariff threats

French President Emmanuel Macron has told his ministers that the EU should consider targeting the US digital sector. The statement comes after Donald Trump threatened new tariffs in response to European technology regulation and digital taxes, Politico reports.

Trump has long criticized the EU’s digital regulations, the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act, and recently claimed that they discriminate against US companies.

Macron said the EU should not rule out retaliation and pointed to its trade deficit with the US in services, even though the EU has surpluses in goods trade — for example in cars and pharmaceuticals.

Macron has previously said he was not satisfied with the EU-US trade deal and that Europe was not “feared enough” to negotiate a better agreement.

He is expected to raise the issue with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at an upcoming meeting.