Trump's Presidential Bid Brings Uncertainty to Google's Fate

A potential return to the White House by Donald Trump could alter the course of the US government's antitrust efforts vis-à-vis Google, raising questions about the tech giant's future stability and market influence.

During Trump's first term, the Department of Justice maintained a largely inquisitive stance on Big Tech, focusing on antitrust cases with a more measured approach. By contrast, the government has taken a more assertive stance under President Joe Biden, pursuing high-profile cases against numerous tech heavyweights, including Google, Apple, Meta, and Amazon. The antitrust push resulted in criticisms of 'Big Tech's' lenient regulation; however, Trump's ideology on intervention has been structurally different.

A major point of contention for Trump's stance is the potential break-up of Google, a measure he seems less supportive of than his successor. DOJ is currently reviewing claims that Google has intent to delay opponents' entry into the market, enhance ad costing through compulsory interactions with Google services, and falter general product quality due to such impacts. Allegations drew comparisons to the way Google dominated digital search experiences. Rather than advocating for a split, Trump appears to support efforts toward maintaining evenness with rules.

A shift in the White House would likely bring about differences in the Department of Justice's antitrust policies towards big companies and disruption in their operations. This therefore highlights the need for interested parties to monitor the Trump candidacy closely and forecast the its repercussions for the Giants of the technology sector, including Google.