On November 18, a U.S. District Judge ruled that a coalition of 15 states, led by Democratic attorneys general, may file amicus briefs in the Department of Justice’s lawsuit that challenges Hewlett‑Packard Enterprise’s $14 billion purchase of Juniper Networks. The decision allows the states to scrutinize the DOJ’s settlement with HPE and to argue that the remedies do not adequately preserve competition in the enterprise wireless market.
The DOJ had sued to block the merger in January 2025, citing concerns that the combined company would reduce competition between HPE and Juniper, the second and third largest providers of enterprise‑grade wireless local‑area network solutions. In June 2025 the parties reached a settlement that permits the deal to close but requires HPE to divest its “Instant On” wireless networking business and to license Juniper’s Mist AI software source code to competitors. The settlement was designed to address the DOJ’s antitrust concerns while allowing the transaction to proceed.
The states’ intervention centers on allegations that the DOJ’s settlement was reached through a back‑room process that involved lobbying by individuals tied to the Trump administration and that the remedies are too weak to maintain competition. By joining the case, the states seek a judicial review of the settlement’s adequacy under the Tunney Act, which mandates that consent decrees be evaluated for their public interest merits.
The coalition includes Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Each state has filed a brief arguing that the divestiture of Instant On and the licensing of Mist AI do not fully restore the competitive balance that existed before the merger and that the DOJ’s process lacked transparency.
Although the acquisition closed on July 2, 2025, the current legal proceedings focus on the settlement’s terms rather than on blocking the merger itself. The states’ participation could lead to additional remedies or a delay in the post‑merger integration, increasing uncertainty for Juniper shareholders and customers who rely on the combined company’s networking and AI capabilities. The outcome will shape the competitive landscape of the enterprise wireless market and could set a precedent for how future large‑scale technology mergers are reviewed by the DOJ and the courts.
The ruling underscores the heightened scrutiny that large technology consolidations face from both federal and state regulators. It also highlights the importance of transparent antitrust enforcement processes, as the states argue that the DOJ’s settlement may have been influenced by political lobbying rather than purely competitive considerations. The case will be closely watched by industry participants and investors who are interested in the long‑term implications for market competition and the integration of HPE’s and Juniper’s product portfolios.
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