‘Draconian’: Trump’s former national security adviser sounds the alarm on DOJ plans for Google

President Donald Trump’s former national security advisor, Robert O’Brien, is raising concerns about the Justice Department’s proposal to break up Google’s monopoly on online search. In a letter to White House leaders, O’Brien warned that the government’s plan poses significant national security risks and could hinder U.S. competitiveness with China in the technology sector.

O’Brien argued that the Biden-era DOJ’s framework is too broad and could have far-reaching consequences. He emphasized the importance of maintaining U.S. leadership in key technologies, such as AI and quantum computing, to stay ahead of China in the global technology race.

The letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, was sent to White House national security advisor Mike Waltz before he was removed from his position along with his deputy, Alex Wong. O’Brien urged the Trump-led Department of Justice to review the proposed plan to restructure Google’s search engine in a way that would allow the company to remain competitive.

He warned that splitting Google into smaller companies and forfeiting its intellectual property could weaken U.S. competitiveness against Chinese tech giants. O’Brien stressed that handcuffing high-tech powerhouses like Google could undermine U.S. leadership in critical technologies and risk ceding global technology dominance to China.

As Google and the Justice Department continue to battle in federal court over the monopoly issue, O’Brien’s letter adds a new dimension to the debate. The DOJ’s proposed remedies include requiring Google to sell off its Chrome browser, share consumer data with competitors, and potentially divest its Android operating system.

Google has pushed back against the government’s plan, arguing that it goes too far and could stifle competition and innovation. CEO Sundar Pichai testified that the proposed remedies could result in a de facto divestiture of Google’s search engine and give its competitors access to valuable intellectual property.

The Justice Department has not responded to O’Brien’s letter or indicated whether they plan to amend their proposed framework in the Google remedies case. O’Brien’s concerns highlight the complex intersection of national security, competition, and technology policy in the ongoing battle over Google’s monopoly on online search.