President Donald Trump’s Justice Department faces a pivotal decision after Google’s latest appeal to avoid a breakup. The tech behemoth met with DOJ officials this week, begging them to rethink remedies proposed by the Biden administration after a federal judge ruled last August that Google illegally monopolized search and advertising markets. Google’s Chief Legal Officer Kent Walker called the DOJ’s push a “radical interventionist agenda” that would harm America’s global tech edge.

The August ruling was clear: Google broke antitrust laws to maintain its dominance. Judge Amit Mehta found the company’s tactics—paying billions to secure default search status on devices—stifled competition. The Biden DOJ then suggested forcing Google to sell its Chrome browser, license data to rivals, and limit AI investments, moves Google claims would kneecap its ability to innovate.

Google’s counterpitch leans hard on fear. They told the DOJ a breakup could weaken U.S. cybersecurity, citing their AI work with government agencies to counter threats. Walker argued that splintering the company would “harm Americans” and dent the economy, a line conservatives might see as Big Tech crying wolf to dodge accountability.

The stakes are sky-high. Chrome holds a 66 percent browser market share, and Google’s $20 billion annual payout to Apple—36 percent of Safari search ad revenue—keeps it the default search engine for millions. Losing those could gut Google’s revenue, which hit $307 billion last year, mostly from ads.

Trump’s team isn’t buying it wholesale. The administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, aims to slash waste, and Google’s monopoly reeks of the overreach conservatives despise. Posts on X show Trump supporters cheering the DOJ to “break them up” and end Big Tech’s reign.

Google’s past doesn’t help. The company admitted to destroying internal chats during the trial, prompting Judge Mehta to call their evidence suppression “the most serious and disturbing” he’d seen. Conservatives see this as proof Google’s hid its dirty laundry—rigging auctions, squashing rivals—while raking in billions.

The DOJ’s next move looms large. Biden’s team wanted Chrome sold, Android spun off, and AI deals curbed, but Trump’s crew might tweak that. Kent Walker warned such remedies would “grind innovation to a halt,” yet Republicans argue Google’s had decades to innovate without choking competition.

Time’s ticking—Judge Mehta expects a remedy ruling by August 2025. Google’s begging for a lighter touch, claiming national security hangs in the balance. Conservatives scoff—why should a company that’s dodged accountability now get a pass when America’s economic strength is at stake?

Republicans smell blood. Trump’s tariffs and deregulation show he’s not afraid to hit big players hard. Google’s plea might sway some, but the heartland wants giants tamed, not coddled. This fight’s about more than search—it’s about who controls America’s future, and conservatives aim to win.