As Meta Platforms surges to new stock market highs, some observers are starting to ask a provocative question: Is Wall Street deliberately pumping Meta’s valuation to sabotage the FTC’s antitrust case, launched under Donald Trump and now finally in trial?
On the surface, Meta’s rise seems logical. AI optimism, strong advertising growth, and a leaner, post-layoff structure have supercharged investor confidence. But just beneath the surface, a high-stakes legal battle is underway that threatens to dismantle Meta’s empire by prying off Instagram and WhatsApp.
🧨 The Real Threat Isn’t the FCC. It’s Trump’s FTC Legacy
Though Trump and FCC commissioner Brendan Carr have railed against Meta over censorship and liberal bias, Carr’s ongoing inquiry into a so-called “censorship cartel” doesn’t even pretend to propose a break-up.
The real threat comes from the FTC. Ironically, it’s from an antitrust lawsuit filed under Trump’s own administration in December 2020. That case alleges that Meta’s acquisition of Instagram (2012) and WhatsApp (2014) were “buy-or-bury” tactics that allowed it to unlawfully dominate social networking.
That FTC suit finally went to trial this month. If successful, it could lead to a court-ordered divestiture that would shatter the “family of apps” strategy that underpins Meta’s dominance.
💰 So Why Would Wall Street Want Meta to Soar Right Now?
When companies are on trial for antitrust violations, valuation becomes a key battleground. A soaring stock price sends a not-so-subtle message to the court and public: This company is thriving, innovative, and loved by investors. Why break it up?
By bidding Meta to record highs, Wall Street could be injecting doubt into the FTC’s central narrative. That narrative claims Meta’s growth came not from innovation but from predatory acquisitions. A booming stock undermines that argument. It implies that Meta’s success today is due to smart strategy, relentless execution, and maybe even a visionary CEO, not because it killed the competition a decade ago.
🧠 The Musk Parallel
We’ve seen this script before. Elon Musk’s companies, often under federal scrutiny, mysteriously soar in valuation just as legal threats loom. The same market forces that punish weak tech firms seem to shield their giants, especially if the trial threatens to interfere with American leadership in emerging tech.
Meta is positioning itself as a cornerstone of the U.S. AI ecosystem. That may explain why its valuation is being bolstered right now, just as the FTC attempts to unwind its foundational deals.
🎯 The Real Endgame: Outlast the Case
The longer the trial drags on, the more Meta’s performance in the market becomes the story instead of the antitrust charges. If Meta can sustain momentum through Q3 and into 2026, the FTC’s case might look less like a trust-busting triumph and more like a politically motivated overreach.
The “meta” endgame for Wall St:
- Higher valuation makes it harder to justify a break-up
- Investor euphoria distracts media from covering the trial
- Ongoing momentum pressures regulators to avoid destabilizing a major AI player
