The record fine of the EU against Google raises fears of a possible trade war with the Trump administration.

The European Union has imposed a record fine of 890 million euros on Google for violating the Digital Markets Act, which could provoke a reaction from Donald Trump, fearing a trade war. European officials argue that the fine, which includes 460 million euros for favoring its own search services and 430 million euros for the unfair way in which the Play Store is installed on smartphones, is unrelated to trade policy. Brussels believes that the penalties reflect the normal enforcement of EU law, similar to the recent fine imposed on Alibaba from China.

However, American officials, including Jamieson Greer, warn that EU actions could destabilize transatlantic trade relations. Republican lawmakers in the U.S. have urged Trump to respond against the EU's "discriminatory" digital policies, highlighting the interconnectedness of European regulations with American domestic policy, especially ahead of the midterm elections. The expiration of the temporary 10% tariffs paves the way for the American administration to reintroduce tariffs against Europe through other legal mechanisms.