US Government Seeks to Break Up Google’s Ad Business in Antitrust Trial

In a landmark legal move, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has formally requested a federal court to order the breakup of Google’s digital advertising business, marking a significant escalation in its antitrust case against the tech giant. The request was made today as the trial entered its critical “remedies” phase, which follows an earlier ruling that found Google’s practices to be monopolistic.

On April 17, 2025, Federal Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that Google had maintained an illegal monopoly in the ad tech market by controlling the entire process from ad sales to ad placement. With the question of Google’s guilt already settled, today’s proceedings are focused on what measures should be taken to remedy the unlawful behavior. The DOJ has proposed a drastic solution: a court order for Google to sell off significant portions of its ad tech business, including its ad publisher and ad exchange operations, and a 10-year ban on operating an ad exchange.

Google, for its part, has vehemently denied the allegations and is fighting the divestiture request. The company’s lawyers are arguing that the demands go far beyond the court’s initial findings and that a forced breakup would be technically unfeasible. In a statement, Google asserted that such a move would “invite disruption and damage” to the digital economy, ultimately harming the publishers and advertisers who rely on its services. Instead, Google has proposed its own set of “behavioral remedies” aimed at increasing interoperability and choice within the market without the need for a corporate split.

The trial is the most significant antitrust case in decades, and its outcome could have far-reaching consequences for the entire digital advertising industry. It is also being closely watched in light of a separate antitrust case where a different judge ruled against a government request to break up Google’s search business. That ruling favored less dramatic remedies, but many observers believe Judge Brinkema is more likely to order a divestiture. The remedies trial is expected to last about a week, with a final ruling on the matter likely to be delivered in 2026.