Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Juniper Networks have strongly opposed the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit seeking to block HPE’s proposed acquisition of Juniper. In a joint statement, the companies argued that the DOJ’s antitrust concerns are misguided and that the merger would enhance competition, drive innovation, and strengthen the U.S. networking sector.

HPE and Juniper emphasized that the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) market, which is central to the DOJ’s case, remains highly competitive with multiple players. They noted that the merger has already been approved by regulators in 14 jurisdictions, including the European Union and the UK, with the U.S. and Israel being the only holdouts. The companies also highlighted that no customer complaints have been cited as a basis for the DOJ’s opposition.

Beyond the immediate business implications, HPE and Juniper positioned the acquisition as a strategic move to bolster the American “core tech” sector, which includes critical networking infrastructure. They stressed that the deal would help the U.S. maintain its technological edge in areas like 6G and quantum-secure communications, which are vital for national security.

Despite the DOJ’s lawsuit, both companies remain fully committed to the transaction and plan to fight the case in court. They believe they will ultimately prevail and finalize the acquisition to deliver its promised benefits to customers.

For more details, the full press release is available as Exhibit 99.1.