Wichita Standard

U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) has led a group of 21 lawmakers in sending a letter to President Donald Trump, voicing concern over the United Kingdom’s Digital Services Tax (DST). The legislators argue that the tax is discriminatory toward American companies and urge the president to seek its removal.

The UK’s DST, implemented in 2020, has collected more than $3 billion to date. According to the letter, “The UK’s DST collected $1 billion in 2024 alone, and an estimated $3.1 billion between 2021 and 2024, almost entirely from American companies. The UK itself has stated that 90% of the DST is paid by five companies, which the U.S. Trade Representative believes to all be American owned companies. This discriminatory action undermines American innovation and captures the U.S. tax base.”

The letter also expresses support for President Trump’s recent statements on digital taxes: “We applaud you for your attention and action combating discriminatory DSTs that target U.S. companies. We are deeply appreciative of your recent comments that digital taxes must end immediately and that ‘American Technology Companies, are neither the ‘piggy bank’ nor the ‘doormat’ of the World any longer.’ You have demonstrated a focus on eliminating these unfair trading practices from our partners and you have delivered wins for American companies, most notably Canada’s commitment to withdraw its DST. Additionally, India also ended its DST and New Zealand withdrew its DST legislation in response to your resolve.”

Lawmakers warn that continued enforcement of the UK’s DST could encourage other countries such as Poland and Slovakia to adopt similar measures: “The UK’s insistence to maintain its DST contradicts its commitment to treat U.S. companies fairly, and if permitted to continue, will set a dangerous precedent for other countries, including those that continue to levy DSTs on U.S. companies or others, such as Poland and Slovakia, that are proposing new DSTs. It is therefore essential that the UK removes this tax promptly.”

Ahead of an upcoming U.S.-UK Leaders’ Summit, Estes and his colleagues call on President Trump to make removal of the DST a priority: “As you prepare for the upcoming U.S.-UK Leaders’ Summit, we urge you to prioritize securing a commitment that the UK will remove its DST. Should the UK fail to agree, we believe reopening the Section 301 investigation into the DST would be a necessary and appropriate action.”

Ron Estes has represented Kansas's 4th District in Congress since 2017 after succeeding Mike Pompeo (https://estes.house.gov/about/). Born in Topeka in 1956, he now lives in Wichita. Estes holds a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University.

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