President Donald Trump appeared to express support for breaking up dominant tech companies in a tweet Saturday.
Trump’s tweet comes just hours after reports that the Justice Department was drafting an antitrust lawsuit against Google. Politicians have long feared that Google and its peers like Facebook and Amazon have become too dominant in their industry.
“The Radical Left is in total command & control of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google. The Administration is working to remedy this illegal situation. Stay tuned, and send names & events,” Trump tweeted. (RELATED: Everything You Need To Know About ‘Unmasking’ And Michael Flynn, All In One Place)
The Radical Left is in total command & control of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google. The Administration is working to remedy this illegal situation. Stay tuned, and send names & events. Thank you Michelle! https://t.co/ZQfcfD3Hk9
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 16, 2020
State attorneys general are reportedly working alongside the DOJ to draft similar lawsuits alleging that Google has violated antitrust laws. Texas AG Ken Paxton is leading the coalition of 51 AGs, according to Bloomberg. (RELATED: Documents Shed Light On Media Leak Central To Michael Flynn Case)
Google said in a statement to Bloomberg that it is participating in “the ongoing investigations led by the Department of Justice and Attorney General Paxton” and will continue “providing services that help consumers, support thousands of businesses, and enable increased choice and competition.”
Reports that the DOJ is drafting a lawsuit does not necessarily mean a suit will ultimately be filed. Officials investigated Google for similar reasons in 2013 only to end the investigation.