Trump threatens tariffs on nations over digital taxes, defends US tech giants

Donald Trump has threatened tariffs on countries imposing digital taxes. He stated that certain major US tech companies are not the "piggy banks or doormat of the world any longer" and demanded that they be shown respect, warning of consequences for nations that fail to do so. The policy has been described as rhetorical, with questions raised about what kind of respect is being expected. The analysis also points out that these US tech giants conduct most of their business outside the United States. This threat comes in the context of existing US export restrictions on highly protected technology and chips, driven by concerns over the protection of intellectual property rights.