Google appeals to Trump DOJ to halt breakup plans

New Delhi: Google has made an urgent plea to President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) to reconsider a Biden-era proposal to dismantle the company, warning that such a move could jeopardise US national security and economic stability.

According to the news reports, the appeal, detailed in a private meeting held last week with DOJ officials, comes as the government intensifies its efforts to dismantle what a federal judge ruled in August 2024 to be an illegal online search monopoly.

The DOJ’s push to break up Google stems from a landmark antitrust case initiated during Trump’s first term in 2020 and carried forward under the Biden administration. In November 2024, Biden’s DOJ outlined sweeping remedies, including forcing Google to divest its Chrome web browser, ending lucrative exclusivity deals with companies like Apple, and restricting its investments in artificial intelligence firms such as Anthropic. These measures aim to restore competition in the search market, where Google commands a dominant share.

However, Google representatives argued in their recent discussions with the DOJ that dismantling the company could weaken America’s technological edge at a critical time. 

News reports stated that according to sources familiar with the talks, who spoke anonymously due to the private nature of the deliberations, the company emphasised its integral role in the US economy and national security infrastructure. They cautioned that breaking apart key assets like Chrome or limiting AI development could cede ground to foreign competitors, particularly China, in the global tech race.

“We routinely meet with regulators, including the DOJ, to discuss this case,” said Peter Schottenfels, a Google spokesperson. “As we’ve publicly stated, we’re concerned the current proposals would harm the American economy and national security.”

The antitrust saga began when a federal judge ruled last year that Google had illegally maintained its search monopoly through practices like multibillion-dollar payments to ensure its engine remained the default on devices such as Apple’s iPhone. The Biden DOJ’s November proposal sought to unravel these arrangements and force structural changes, marking Washington’s most significant attempt to break up a tech giant since the unsuccessful Microsoft case two decades ago.

Google has pushed back, arguing that its integrated ecosystem—spanning search, Chrome, Android, and AI—benefits consumers and drives innovation. The company contends that fragmentation could disrupt services relied upon by millions and hinder its ability to compete globally. Critics, however, accuse Google of leveraging its dominance to stifle rivals, pointing to the Chrome divestiture as a necessary step to level the playing field.