Microsoft has made a significant commitment to enhance its presence in Europe and ensure the protection of European citizens’ data, citing increasing geopolitical volatility. This promise comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s return, which has shifted the dynamics between the United States and Europe, challenging long-established U.S. policies.
Trump has voiced concerns over the European Union’s regulations on Big Tech—an industry dominated by U.S. giants like Microsoft—and has threatened retaliatory measures against such rules. However, during a visit to Brussels, Microsoft President Brad Smith emphasized the importance of fostering strong business ties across the Atlantic, calling it a pivotal moment.
“We are at a moment in time when business needs to be a bridge across the Atlantic,” Smith stated.
Microsoft is expanding its data center network in 16 European countries and is focused on building a robust artificial intelligence ecosystem in the region. The company also aims to form partnerships with local European cloud providers, as U.S. firms—Amazon, Google, and Microsoft—currently dominate the European cloud market.
This reliance on U.S. technology has come under scrutiny, especially after Trump’s return to office, which has included threats of tariffs, proposals to take control of Greenland, and a reduction in support for Ukraine. There’s growing concern that Washington might leverage its tech dominance as a political tool in future disputes with Europe.
In his blog post, Smith hinted at the possibility of such a scenario, though he stopped short of directly naming Trump, calling it an “unlikely” event. Nonetheless, he reaffirmed Microsoft’s strong stance: if the company were ever instructed to halt or suspend its cloud operations in Europe, it would “vigorously contest” the move in court.
“We are committing today that if any government anywhere in the world ever issues an order that seeks to compel Microsoft to suspend or cease operations and support for Europe out of our data centres here, we will go to court,” Smith declared during his Brussels visit.
He also acknowledged that this issue is a legitimate concern for people across Europe.
AFP
