Brussels/Washington – The European Union has imposed a record €2.95 billion ($3.5 billion) fine on Google over alleged abuse of dominance in its digital advertising business, sparking sharp criticism from former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The European Commission ruled that Google unfairly favored its own ad exchange and ad-serving technologies, limiting competition and disadvantaging publishers and advertisers across Europe. Along with the fine, Google has been ordered to cease these practices immediately or face additional penalties, including potential structural remedies.
This marks the fourth major antitrust penalty against Google since 2017, bringing its total EU fines to nearly €10 billion. Regulators say the decision underscores the bloc’s commitment to holding Big Tech accountable for anti-competitive behavior.
However, the ruling has ignited political backlash in the United States. Taking to Truth Social, Donald Trump denounced the decision as “very unfair” and “discriminatory against American companies”. He warned that the U.S. “will not allow these actions to stand” and hinted at launching a Section 301 trade investigation, a move that could pave the way for retaliatory tariffs on European goods.
