EU Fines Google $3.45 Bn For Ad Monopoly; Trump Condemns Ruling As ‘Very Unfair’

Last Updated:September 06, 2025, 01:14 IST

Trump also threatened to invoke Section 301 of U.S. trade law to nullify what he described as unjust penalties on American companies.

Earlier this year, Google faced a similar challenge in the United States

The European Union has fined Google $3.45 billion for abusing its dominant position in the online advertising market, the European Commission announced on Friday. The ruling comes after a complaint by the European Publishers Council, which accused Google of favouring its own ad display services at the expense of rivals and independent publishers.

The Commission found that Google had engaged in self-preferential practices, undermining competition in the digital ad market. “Digital markets exist to serve people and must be grounded in trust and fairness. And when markets fail, public institutions must act to prevent dominant players from abusing their power,” said Teresa Ribera, executive vice president for clean, just and competitive transition at the European Commission, in a press release.

In response, the EU has given Google 60 days to outline how it will address the violations. If the company fails to comply, it could face additional penalties, which may include not only financial remedies but also a forced sale of parts of Google’s advertising technology business.

Google has rejected the decision and announced its intention to appeal. “The European Commission’s decision about our ad tech services is wrong and we will appeal. There’s nothing anti-competitive in providing services for ad buyers and sellers, and there are more alternatives to our services than ever before,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s Global Head of Regulatory Affairs, in a statement to Engadget.

US President Donald Trump also came to Google’s defense, criticising the EU’s ruling as “very unfair.” Speaking a day after his dinner at the White House with top tech executives, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Trump warned that the fine could harm American innovation and job creation. “Very unfair, and the American Taxpayer will not stand for it! As I have said before, my Administration will NOT allow these discriminatory actions to stand,” Trump said.

Trump also threatened to invoke Section 301 of US trade law, a measure that could be used to nullify what he described as unjust penalties on American companies.

Earlier this year, Google faced a similar challenge in the US, where a federal judge concluded the company holds a monopoly in the online advertising technology sector.

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