Former President Donald Trump has indicated that if he is elected again, he will push for the Justice Department to take legal action against Google. He claims that the search engine only displays negative stories about him while promoting positive stories about Vice President Kamala Harris, who is his opponent in the upcoming 2024 election.

A spokesperson for Trump did not promptly provide a response regarding his post on Truth Social, which suggested that “Google has engaged in the illegal practice of only showcasing unfavorable stories about Donald J. Trump, some of which are fabricated, while exclusively promoting good stories about Comrade Kamala Harris.”

Trump further asserted, “This is an ILLEGAL ACTIVITY, and I hope the Justice Department will hold them criminally accountable for this blatant Election Interference,” without identifying any particular criminal law. “If not, I will ask for the most severe prosecution allowed by our laws when I win the election and take office as President!”

It appears Trump may be referencing a study by the conservative Media Research Center, which purportedly claims that Google favors Harris in search results. This study has been featured in right-leaning media such as Fox News and the New York Post.

A Google representative responded to YSL News, disputing the allegation that the platform shows favoritism towards any candidate, highlighting limitations in the study. The Google statement noted that the report “analyzed a single unusual search term from a single day a few weeks ago, and even within that search, both candidates’ websites were among the top results on Google.”

Trump’s threat is another instance of him expressing a desire to leverage governmental power against those he views as adversaries. He has made similar threats against various political opponents, including Harris, President Joe Biden, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Claims about Google search results and their response

The Media Research Center reported to Fox News that it examined search results from September 6 for “Donald Trump presidential race 2024” and found seven articles in a “Top Stories” section before Trump’s campaign site appeared.

They stated that these articles originated from what they deemed “left-leaning sources,” including the New York Times, Politico, and the Washington Post, which are often regarded as nonpartisan news organizations.

The group further criticized Google for featuring an article from the Economist about “who’s leading in the polls?” and links to real-time election updates from CNN and NBC, labeling them as biased. They claimed that search results for “Kamala Harris presidential race 2024” also displayed articles from sources they considered left-leaning.

A Google spokesperson clarified to YSL News that search results regarding the presidential election or candidates are designed to show “constantly evolving news articles reflecting online content, which changes frequently.”

“We do not manipulate search outcomes to benefit any candidate,” the spokesperson asserted.

Trump’s history of prosecuting rivals during his presidency

During his presidency, Trump sought to prosecute opponents, though his attempts were sometimes resisted by officials in his administration.

Additionally, Trump reportedly told White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II in the spring of 2018 that he wanted to instruct the Justice Department to prosecute both Clinton and former FBI Director James Comey, as reported by the New York Times.

Advisors and former aides have indicated that should Trump return to the presidency, he will prioritize loyalty and allegiance to his agenda when selecting individuals for his administration.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in July that presidents are fully immune from criminal prosecution related to conversations with Justice Department officials. Following that decision, special counsel Jack Smith filed an indictment against Trump, omitting allegations about his conduct with the Justice Department from his federal criminal case on election interference. Trump has pleaded not guilty to these charges and is currently challenging whether his trial can proceed given the Supreme Court ruling.