Apple Inc. executives have contacted Obama administration officials to complain about a European Union ruling mandating the technology giant pay $14.5 billion in back taxes to Ireland, the White House said Tuesday, arguing that it too is concerned about the fairness of the ruling.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the administration is also worried about the fairness of the ruling, and said Apple representatives have talked to some in the Obama administration about the case. But he wouldn’t say who from the government side was involved, and said only that he thought President Obama was not directly involved.