Trump orders trade chief to revive tariff retaliation against digital taxes

President Donald Trump on Friday ordered his trade chief to revive investigations aimed at imposing tariffs on imports from countries that levy digital service taxes on U.S. technology companies.

A White House official, providing details of the order, said Trump was directing his administration to consider responsive actions like tariffs "to combat the digital service taxes (DSTs), fines, practices, and policies that foreign governments levy on American companies."

"President Trump will not allow foreign governments to appropriate America's tax base for their own benefit," the official said.

The memo directs the U.S. Trade Representative's office to renew digital service taxes investigations that were initiated during Trump's first term, and investigate any additional countries that use a digital tax "to discriminate against U.S. companies," according to a White House fact sheet.