UK will face 'big tariff' if it doesn't drop tech tax, Trump says

Major tech firms sit at the centre of a widening US–UK trade dispute

US President Donald Trump said the United States will retaliate with a "big tariff" if Britain continues to target companies like Apple, Alphabet's Google and Meta with its technology tax.

The United Kingdom rolled out its 2 percent digital services tax in 2020, a move that has been criticized by Trump and his predecessor Democrat Joe Biden.

"If they don’t drop the tax, we’ll probably put a big tariff on the UK," the president told reporters during a White House event.

His comments come ahead of a visit by Britain's head of state, King Charles, next week.

Trump said he believes the monarch could help repair the Washington's relationship with the British, which has become strained in recent months.