US judge approves HPE’s US$14bil takeover of Juniper despite concerns

A US federal judge has approved a $14 billion merger between Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Juniper Networks, despite the HPE failing to disclose lobbying efforts targeting the CIA and Pentagon during the acquisition. The decision comes after the US Justice Department initially challenged the merger but later reversed its stance and worked on a settlement.

HPE appealed to the department's political leadership, utilizing lobbyists aligned with the Trump administration, after the DOJ's antitrust division rejected the proposed settlement. Judge Casey Pitts acknowledged that the acquisition may reduce competition but ruled that the court lacks the power to prevent such an outcome. The judge also identified two violations of the Tunney Act, which requires a judge to ensure an antitrust settlement serves the public interest.

HPE and the Trump administration celebrated the judge's ruling, while California Attorney General Rob Bonta expressed disappointment and concern over the decision.