On a September evening at the White House, a president who has long fought with the technology giants raised a courtroom victory with the head of one of them, and the moment carried the quiet weight of power and its reach. A federal judge had found Google's grip on internet search illegal, yet chose not to break the company apart, and the people at that dinner table were left to measure what that mercy means for a market, a government, and a public that depends on the answers it gives. Beneath the laughter and courtesies lies an older question about how much a nation's leaders can shape the fo
Trump Toasts Google's Antitrust Win at White House Tech Dinner; Pichai Says 'I'm Glad It's Over'
"I'm glad it's over," Pichai said, and the table erupted in laughter.
On a September evening at the White House, a president who has long fought with the technology giants raised a courtroom victory with the head of one of them, and the moment carried the quiet weight of power and its reach. A federal judge had found Google's grip on internet search illegal, yet chose not to break the company apart, and the people at that dinner table were left to measure what that mercy means for a market, a government, and a public that depends on the answers it gives. Beneath the laughter and courtesies lies an older question about how much a nation's leaders can shape the fortunes of the companies that shape its daily thinking. The story is still being written, with appeals and a lingering dispute over censorship waiting in the wings.
On Thursday evening, September 4, President Donald Trump gathered tech leaders at the White House and turned to Google CEO Sundar Pichai with a teasing nod to the company's good fortune. The day before, Judge Amit Mehta had ruled that Google held an illegal monopoly in internet search but declined to order a breakup of the company. Alphabet's market value jumped by $230 billion in response, closing a case the Justice Department had opened in 2020.
Pichai's reply drew laughter from the table when he said he was glad it was over. He then struck a more measured note, calling the process long and thanking the administration for its constructive dialogue. Turning quickly to artificial intelligence, he described the present moment as one of the most transformative of our lifetimes and praised the administration's July AI action plan, pledging to work with it.
Trump credited Biden with the prosecution, a claim that does not match the record, since the suit began during his own first term. The evening also sat against unfinished business: YouTube is in talks with Trump's lawyers over a censorship lawsuit tied to the suspension of his accounts after January 6. Two things now bear watching: whether the government appeals the ruling, and whether the YouTube matter is settled, which would signal how closely Google and the White House are working together.
At a White House dinner for tech leaders on Thursday evening, September 4, President Donald Trump turned to Google CEO Sundar Pichai with a question that drew the table's attention. "Well you had a very good day yesterday," Trump said, adding that Google had a very good day and asking whether Pichai wanted to talk about it.
The day in question was the product of a ruling by US District Judge Amit Mehta. Google had been found to hold an illegal monopoly in internet search, but Mehta's decision, issued earlier that week, spared the company a court-ordered breakup. Alphabet's market capitalization jumped by $230 billion in response. The ruling capped a case the US Department of Justice brought in 2020.
Pichai's answer was brief and got a laugh. "I'm glad it's over," he said, and the other guests at the table erupted. He went on in a more measured tone, saying it is a long process and that he appreciated the administration's constructive dialogue, which helped bring the matter to some resolution.
Then he changed the subject to artificial intelligence. Pichai called the current AI moment one of the most transformative that anyone alive will see, and said it matters that the United States stays at the forefront. He credited the administration with investing heavily and praised its AI action plan, titled "Winning the AI Race: America's AI Action Plan," which was released in July. In his words, the plan under Trump's leadership is a great start, and Google looks forward to working with the administration. He closed by thanking Trump for his leadership.
Trump, for his part, raised the origins of the case. "Biden was the one who prosecuted that lawsuit, you know that right?" he said. That is not accurate. The Justice Department filed the suit in 2020, during Trump's own first term, though the litigation continued under the Biden administration.
The warm exchange took place against a backdrop of unfinished business between the two sides. YouTube, which Google owns, is in discussions with Trump's lawyers over a lawsuit he filed more than four years ago. The suit accuses the company of unlawful censorship and stems from the suspension of his social media accounts after the January 6, 2021, Capitol incident.
Two questions follow from the evening. One is whether the government will appeal Mehta's ruling. The other is whether the YouTube dispute is settled, which would be another sign of how closely Google and the White House are now dealing with each other.
Citations marquantes
I'm glad it's over.— Sundar Pichai, Google CEO
Biden was the one who prosecuted that lawsuit, you know that right?— Donald Trump
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Politics & Governance