Mark Zuckerberg Pressed Trump on Digital Taxes Ahead of Tariff Threat

Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with U.S. President Donald Trump last week to discuss the growing issue of digital service taxes, according to Bloomberg News, citing sources familiar with the private meeting.

Shortly after the discussion, Trump warned that countries imposing digital taxes could face “subsequent additional tariffs” on their goods unless such legislation is repealed.

The Trump administration is reportedly considering sanctions against the European Union or officials associated with the Digital Services Act, arguing that it censors Americans and imposes additional costs on U.S. tech companies.

Digital taxes have been a longstanding point of contention for multiple U.S. administrations. Several countries, particularly in Europe, have implemented levies on the revenue of digital service providers, including major companies like Meta, Google, Apple, and Amazon.

Meta derives most of its revenue from advertising. The company reported $47.52 billion in revenue for the quarter ending June 30, exceeding analysts’ expectations of $44.80 billion.

Both Meta and the White House declined to comment on the report when approached by Reuters.