Meta's Zuckerberg pressed Trump on digital taxes before tariff threat, Bloomberg News reports


FILE PHOTO: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg presents Orion AR glasses at the Meta Connect annual event at the company's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, U.S., September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Manuel Orbegozo/File Photo

(Reuters) -Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg had visited U.S. President Donald Trump last week to discuss the threat of digital service taxes, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the private meeting.

Days after the meeting, Trump threatened countries that have digital taxes with "subsequent additional tariffs" on their goods if those nations do not remove such legislation.

Meta and the White House did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment on the report.

Trump's administration is considering imposing sanctions on the EU or member state officials responsible for the Digital Services Act, over complaints that it censors Americans and imposes costs on U.S. tech firms, Reuters reported on Monday.

Many countries, particularly in Europe, have levied taxes on the sales revenue of digital service providers, including Alphabet's Google, Meta, Apple and Amazon.

The issue has been a longstanding trade irritant for multiple U.S. administrations.

The majority of Meta's revenue comes from its core advertising business. The company in July reported revenue of $47.52 billion for the quarter ended June 30, surpassing analysts' average estimate of $44.80 billion.

(Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Shreya Biswas)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Tech News

Analysis-New cybersecurity rules for US defense industry create barrier for some small suppliers
Tesla unveils cheaper Cybertruck variant, cuts Cyberbeast price to drive demand
Los Angeles sues Roblox over child exploitation claim
Google Gemini, Apple add music-focused generative AI features
ByteDance building out artificial intelligence team in US
Sony shuts down video-game studio Bluepoint
AppLovin plans Its own social platform after failed TikTok bid
Laser-written glass can store data for millennia, Microsoft says
OpenAI's Altman tells leaders regulation 'urgently' needed
Ireland, home to EU tech hubs, mulls teen social media ban

Others Also Read