President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on the United Kingdom if it does not eliminate its digital services tax on US technology companies, according to recent statements from the administration. The digital services tax, implemented in 2020, imposes a 2% levy on revenues from several major US tech firms operating in the UK.

Trump accused the UK of attempting to "make an easy buck" from American technology companies through the tax policy. The threat comes weeks after the president warned that the UK-US trade relationship could be subject to changes, signaling potential strain in the bilateral economic partnership.

Separately, the Trump administration announced plans for a crackdown on foreign technology companies allegedly exploiting US artificial intelligence models, with particular focus on Chinese firms. A White House memo authored by Michael Kratsios claims that companies, primarily based in China, are wrongfully accessing and distilling American-developed AI technologies.

The administration's concerns center on what officials describe as unauthorized use of US AI models by foreign entities, particularly as China works to close the technological gap with the United States in artificial intelligence development. The timing coincides with ongoing competition between the two nations in the AI sector.

These announcements reflect the administration's broader approach to international trade and technology policy, targeting both allied and rival nations over what it views as unfair commercial practices affecting American technology companies and intellectual property.