Trump hits out at the EU over $5 billion Google antitrust fine
"I told you so!" is the president's take, as he uses the fine as proof of his assertion that the EU is taking advantage of the US.
President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday that a European Commission fine slapped on Google is proof that EU has "taken advantage of the US."
The European Union's executive arm hit Google with a $5 billion fine on Wednesday, following an antitrust investigation of the Android mobile operating system. The investigation concluded that requiring phone manufacturers to preload specific Google apps and services onto Android phones prevents innovation and denies choice to consumers across Europe.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai published a blog post shortly after the fine was announced, detailing the reasons he disagreed with the EU's decision and saying the company plans to appeal the fine.
The EU frequently takes tech companies to task over issues such as taxes, antitrust issues and privacy, but Trump is interpreting this particular fine as a slight against the US.
"I told you so! The European Union just slapped a Five Billion Dollar fine on one of our great companies, Google," he tweeted. "They truly have taken advantage of the US, but not for long!"
Over the weekend, Trump accused the EU of being an economic "foe" of the US following a NATO summit and a trip to the UK. He used the example of Wednesday's fine to hammer the point home.
A spokeswoman for the European Competition Commission declined to comment. Representatives for Google and the White House didn't respond to requests for comment.