In a recent meeting at the White House, President Trump warned of potential “significant” tariffs aimed at countries that have implemented digital taxes. This discussion came shortly after Meta Platforms Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg stressed his worries about these taxes.
Sources close to the matter revealed that Zuckerberg met with Trump last week, although these details haven’t been officially disclosed. During their conversation, they addressed the growing concerns regarding digital service taxes, which tax revenue generated by tech companies based on their users in specific countries. Meta primarily earns its revenue through advertising aimed at users across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
Just a short time after this meeting, Trump criticized digital taxes and related regulations as harmful to American technology, pointing out how they don’t affect Chinese tech giants. He formally notified countries imposing these taxes that they should prepare for potential “substantial” tariffs and export limits on U.S. semiconductors unless these measures are revoked.
“I’m committed to defending our amazing American tech companies against these countries,” Trump shared on his social media platform, Truth Social.
These comments have reignited tensions between the U.S. and its trading partners, a conflict that predates Trump’s latest discussions with Zuckerberg. American officials have been vocal about their stance in trade negotiations, citing how these digital taxes disproportionately hurt U.S. firms like Meta, Amazon, and Google.
According to White House spokesperson Kush Desai, “President Trump has always strongly opposed digital service taxes that are unfairly targeted at American tech companies. The administration has consistently raised these issues in discussions with other nations, including the EU.”
Countries like France, Italy, Spain, Austria, and the UK have imposed these digital service taxes, with rates varying across borders.
Meta confirmed the meeting, mentioning, “Mark Zuckerberg was at the White House last week to talk about Meta’s infrastructure investments and promoting American tech leadership internationally.”
Since Trump’s return to the political forefront, Zuckerberg has worked to improve their relationship, going so far as to reach out to him even after being labeled a “criminal” by Trump in the past. This effort to align has included changes to Meta’s policy framework regarding moderation and diversity, multiple visits to Trump-related events, and a significant financial contribution from Meta to Trump’s inauguration activities.
Furthermore, Zuckerberg has made strides to establish a presence in Washington, investing substantially in properties near the Naval Observatory, where Vice President JD Vance lives, and integrating several of Trump’s allies into his business and board.
During their discussions, where their rapport was evidently stronger, Trump and Zuckerberg also delved into various topics, including artificial intelligence and EU regulations affecting the tech sector. In their meeting, they revisited these discussions, mentioning AI and the planned mega data center in rural Louisiana.
Trump showcased the Louisiana data center during a Cabinet meeting, holding up a map that illustrated its enormous scale when adjusted over a Manhattan layout. He noted the estimated $50 billion cost of the data center, expressing his admiration for the project.
