Google Hit with €890 Million EU Penalty
The Spin
Pro-Europe narrative
The EU's fine against Google was a long time coming for its flagrant violations of the DMA, which prohibits gatekeepers from rigging search results in their favor and blocking app developers from steering users to more affordable substitutes. Google can have no complaints, having been caught red-handed, and must correct its behavior accordingly, lest it face further, more severe punishment down the line.
Anti-Europe narrative
The EU's DMA is a protectionist weapon disguised as regulation, targeting U.S. companies at will for outperforming their European counterparts. EU officials even admit as much, heralding that American businesses "feel the pain" as proof that the laws are working. The Trump administration, therefore, must push Europe to abandon these discriminatory policies as a precondition for any future trade deal.