A new crisis has erupted in the global trade agenda. US President Donald Trump, via his social network Truth Social, issued an unprecedented warning to countries planning to introduce digital taxes on American corporations. In response to such steps, Washington is prepared to impose an immediate 100% tariff on all goods exported to the United States.
An Unconditional Ultimatum
According to the head of state, the mechanism for protecting American business will trigger automatically. Any country that decides to introduce a digital tax will immediately face a total trade barrier. Trump emphasized that such a tariff will replace any existing trade agreements, regardless of their status—whether they were signed, implemented, or are under discussion.
The threat extends not only to those who have already introduced the tax but also to states that continue to discuss such measures. According to the president, many European countries are on the verge of making such decisions, and the US is ready to respond harshly and quickly.
Preconditions for the Conflict
The escalation of tension has a specific historical context. In April 2025, France and Germany openly discussed introducing a digital tax on American companies. This step was viewed as a countermeasure to the aggressive tariff policy of the Trump administration.
At that time, a representative of the French government stated that the European Commission could approve the tax by the end of April. However, at that moment, the introduction of the measure was postponed. Now, in light of new statements from Washington, the issue of digital taxation is once again becoming a stumbling block in relations between the US and Europe.