Star Trek-Quoting Judge Boasberg, Once Targeted By Trump, Could Decide If Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Gets To Keep Instagram

As the Federal Trade Commission prepares to face off against Meta Platforms, Inc. META in a landmark antitrust case, all eyes are on U.S. District Judge James Boasberg — a figure with a history of high-stakes rulings and headline-making decisions.

What Happened: On Monday, Boasberg will preside over a trial that could reshape the tech industry. The FTC has alleged that Meta used its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp to cement an illegal social media monopoly.

If the agency succeeds, it could lead to the forced breakup of one of the world's most valuable companies — a $1.37 trillion corporate empire.

A Meta spokesperson pushed back against the FTC’s lawsuit, saying it paints an inaccurate picture of Facebook as a monopoly while ignoring key rivals in the social media space.

They underscored that Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp face strong competition from several other platforms like ByteDance-owned TikTok, YouTube by Alphabet Inc.’s GOOG GOOGL Google, and Apple Inc.’s AAPL iMessage.

Boasberg, appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2011 and now chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., is no stranger to politically charged cases.

He has handled matters ranging from Donald Trump-era deportation policies to surveillance court rulings and high-profile disputes involving Hillary Clinton's emails and Trump's tax records.

Known for his sharp wit and cultural references, Boasberg once cited "Star Trek" in a ruling, writing "resistance is futile" to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a Trump aide challenging the Jan. 6 congressional investigation, reported Reuters.

He also ordered former Vice President Mike Pence to testify in the Trump election interference probe and denied an attempt to access Trump’s tax returns in 2017.

Why It Matters: Last month, Trump called for Boasberg's impeachment over rulings involving immigration and federal oversight. That led to a rare public defense from Chief Justice John Roberts and a Justice Department motion seeking to remove Boasberg from a case.

During the same month, Boasberg also directed key agencies from the Trump administration to retain any Signal messages exchanged between March 11 and March 15.

This order comes as part of a preservation lawsuit sparked by reports that top Cabinet members were using the encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss military strategies.

Before his appointment to the federal bench, Boasberg served as a D.C. prosecutor and a local judge. In 2018, Boasberg took on the role of a prosecutor in a theatrical production penned by former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, which reimagined Shakespeare's Hamlet as a courtroom drama.

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