By Jody Godoy (Reuters) – Gail Slater, President Donald Trump’s selection to lead the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust division, was officially confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. Working in tandem with the Federal Trade Commission, the department’s antitrust division is tasked with enforcing laws against illegal monopolies and anticompetitive business practices.
Slater, a seasoned antitrust attorney and former economic advisor to Vice President JD Vance, has emphasized that her primary focus as assistant attorney general will be safeguarding consumers by closely examining industries such as healthcare, technology, and agriculture. Praised by former antitrust enforcers from both Republican and Democratic administrations, as well as antitrust advocates in Washington, Slater’s qualifications have garnered widespread approval.
“President Trump is unequivocally showing his commitment to continuing the bipartisan antitrust law enforcement efforts initiated in his previous term, aimed at holding the trillion-dollar Big Tech monopolies accountable,” stated Mike Davis, former counsel to Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
In April, the Justice Department and state attorneys general are set to go to trial seeking an order that would compel Alphabet’s Google to divest its Chrome browser to foster competition in online search. Concurrently, the department is actively pursuing antitrust cases against Apple, LiveNation, and Visa.
In written responses to the Senate, Slater indicated her expectation for the Trump administration to resolve more merger cases while also expressing alignment with her predecessors on safeguarding workers’ rights and scrutinizing dominant entities acquiring smaller competitors. Various policy groups, including Heritage Action—affiliated with the conservative Heritage Foundation—and the Tech Oversight Project—aligned with the progressive faction of the Democratic party—have voiced support for Slater’s confirmation.
“The broad coalition of voices and interests backing her nomination underscores the widespread desire for corporate accountability—not at the expense of economic progress, but as a means to achieve it,” remarked Amanda Lewis, an antitrust attorney at Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, who previously collaborated with Slater at the FTC.
During her February hearing, Democrats questioned Slater on her stance regarding potential illegal or unethical directives from Trump. “If confirmed, I will consistently adhere to the law and fulfill my duty to uphold and defend the Constitution,” assured Slater post-hearing, noting that she did not anticipate such requests.
(Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
