U.S. Justice Department asks appeals court to pause antitrust ruling against Qualcomm

(Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department requested a federal appeals court to pause the enforcement of a sweeping antitrust ruling against cellular chip provider Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) on Tuesday, citing help from the Energy Department and Defense Department.

“For DoD, Qualcomm is a key player both in terms of its trusted supply chain and as a leader in innovation, and it would be impossible to replace Qualcomm’s critical role in 5G technology in the short term,” Ellen M. Lord, U.S. Under Secretary for Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, wrote in a submitting made within the ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.