Trump makes surprising statements about Google's division.
Another extensive interview with the former president.
In a recent interview, Donald Trump, the former president, expressed his discontent with Google, suggesting that he would take action against the company if he were to be elected president again. During the conversation, Bloomberg's editor-in-chief, John Micklethwait, raised the possibility that the U.S. Department of Justice might consider dismantling the company, which led Trump to shift the focus to a recent DOJ lawsuit against Virginia election officials.
Initially, Trump avoided commenting directly on Google, but after being redirected by Micklethwait, he expressed his frustration. According to him, negative "stories" about him dominate Google, and he claimed to have called the company's top executive, presumably Sundar Pichai, to voice his concerns: "Google has a lot of power. They treat me very badly. If I have 20 good stories and 20 bad ones, they will only show the bad ones."
When Micklethwait asked about a potential dismantling of the company, Trump stated that he would "do something" regarding Google, although he did not specify what actions he would take. He referred to Google as a significant power, and while he acknowledged its influence, he warned that care should be taken, as he wants the U.S. to maintain strong companies in the face of the threat from China.
Throughout the interview, Trump also addressed the topic of TikTok and how his views on the app have changed since his administration, avoiding an extended discussion on a potential "divestiture" of ByteDance. Returning to the conversation about Google, he suggested that rather than dismantling the company, changes should be made to make the situation "fairer." He also mentioned a previous conversation with Pichai, claiming that he had been told he was "the number one person" concerning stories on Google, which he attributed to the numerous negative news surrounding him.
Trump concluded by reflecting on the perception of threats in general, emphasizing his dislike for Google and the need to "fix" what he considers a problem of fake news in the media. These statements are not isolated, as he has previously voiced concerns about Google, hinting that the company could be close to its closure.
