Judge in 'Google Monopoly Ruling' Says "Trial Schedule Remains Unchanged Even If Government Changes"

Speculation on Change in DOJ Stance After Trump’s Second Term
Case Judge: "No Additional Time Will Be Granted"

A U.S. court judge who ruled that Google monopolizes the search market announced that the trial will proceed as scheduled without delay even after the inauguration of the second Trump administration. This is the court's stance amid recent requests from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to divest the Chrome web browser as a remedy to Google's monopoly, and speculation that the DOJ's position might change under the second Trump administration.

According to major foreign media on the 26th (local time), Amit Mehta, a judge at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, stated that even if the DOJ revises its remedies for Google's monopoly after President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, the trial scheduled for April next year will not be postponed. Judge Mehta emphasized, "If there is a reassessment by the DOJ, it must be done swiftly."

Earlier, in August, Judge Mehta ruled in the DOJ's antitrust lawsuit against Google that Google's dominance, holding a 90% share of the global online search market, constitutes an illegal monopoly. Accordingly, on the 20th, the DOJ requested the divestiture of Google's Chrome web browser as part of the remedy. The antitrust lawsuit against Google was first initiated during the first Trump administration. The trial on the remedies for the monopoly will begin in April next year, with the court expected to reach a final decision by August.

Some speculate that the DOJ's perspective on remedies for Google's monopoly may change following the inauguration of the second Trump administration. President-elect Trump has nominated Pam Bondi, a veteran prosecutor and former Florida Attorney General, as the new Attorney General candidate. Since Trump has appointed only loyal figures, analysts believe that his influence will significantly affect the remedies for Google's monopoly. Two months before the election, Trump threatened to sue Google for bias against him, but a month later, he questioned whether breaking up Google was a good idea.

Alphabet, Google's parent company, saw its stock price drop about 4.5% through the day following the DOJ's divestiture request. Google called the DOJ's proposal "shocking" and argued that it would "harm America's competitiveness." Google plans to submit its own remedies to the court next month.