Fri Apr 25 04:09:06 UTC 2025: ## White House Condemns EU Tech Fines as “Economic Extortion”
**Washington, D.C. – April 25, 2025** – The White House has strongly condemned recent European Union fines levied against US tech giants Meta and Apple, labeling them “economic extortion” and demanding an end to what it calls “malicious” European regulations.
The European Commission fined Apple €500 million ($570 million) for preventing developers from directing customers to cheaper alternatives outside its App Store and Meta €200 million for violating data usage rules. These penalties are the first imposed under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), aimed at fostering competition among tech firms.
Brian Hughes, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, issued a statement calling for the EU to cease its targeting of American companies and consumers. He reiterated the stance that these regulations stifle free speech and threaten civil society, echoing previous criticisms from the Trump administration. While stopping short of outlining specific retaliatory measures, Hughes indicated that the regulations would be considered trade barriers in future EU-US negotiations. He concluded with a call to end the EU’s “regulatory death spiral.” The statement suggests potential future trade disputes between the US and the EU.
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