Donald Trump’s return to the global stage comes with an intensified use of technology as a tool of power. In his new tariff offensive, he’s not just leveraging technology—he’s weaponizing it. The import duties he proposes—up to 60% on critical components such as semiconductors, batteries, and data center hardware—are designed to deliberately slow down European innovation. This is not trade policy; it’s technological warfare.
Trump presents these measures as a means to protect the American economy, but in reality, he is exploiting the central role of the U.S. in global tech supply chains to impose geopolitical pressure. Europe, still dependent on American chip technology, cloud infrastructure, and software ecosystems, risks once again becoming a pawn in America’s power play. These tariffs are selective, strategic, and technically calculated—targeted at the weak points of European industries struggling to achieve both digital transformation and sustainability.
The abuse of technology as a coercive tool undermines the foundations of international cooperation. What is still called a ‘free market’ is being deliberately distorted into a system where access to critical technologies is controlled by those who write the rules. The European Union now faces a fundamental question: will it continue to merely react to American pressure, or will it finally begin to build its own technological sovereignty?
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned against the “structural blackmail” embedded in such trade policies. Her call for “technological solidarity” has never been more urgent. Europe must not only invest in its own chip production, AI development, and cybersecurity, but also develop a collective strategy to resist this new form of technological domination.
It’s time to call Trump’s tech war what it is: an attempt to crush solidarity and cooperation at their roots. If Europe fails to unite now and stand up for the principles of fair trade, open standards, and digital rights, it risks losing its relevance on the world stage. Solidarity by technology is no longer a luxury—it is a necessity in an era of political manipulation and economic intimidation.
