Competition Policy in the Trump Administration: The Future of Conservative Antitrust and the FTC

The Trump administration's appointments of Gail Slater and Andrew Ferguson to lead the Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) signal the end of the neo-Brandeisian ideology that shaped antitrust enforcement under the Biden administration.

But what will take its place? While some in the new administration may advocate for a return to traditional antitrust principles, others might seek to reorient antitrust law within a broader "America First" paradigm—focusing on the national interest, America's global competitiveness, and even dismantling administrative agencies like the FTC. Meanwhile, others may want to follow the lead of Vice President Vance and the so-called "Khanservatives" by championing a conservative version of antitrust populism that aims to empower the administrative state to push back against a perceived "woke" corporate establishment typified by large multinational technology companies.

Watch the webinar event where panlists discussed how antitrust enforcement might change with the new administration, whether the Trump enforcers will carry forward any of the neo-Brandeisian policies, and what the future may have in store for the FTC.