The "bad news" for tech giants: Is Trump also anti-monopoly?
Reports indicate that Trump is considering appointing Slaughter as the head of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. Analysts suggest that this nomination means Trump will continue the tough enforcement stance advocated by the Biden administration
Trump considers appointing hardline officials to the Department of Justice to strengthen antitrust enforcement against large tech companies.
According to media reports, U.S. President-elect Trump plans to appoint Gail Slater as the head of the antitrust division of the Department of Justice. Slater is reportedly a senior aide to Vice President-elect Vance and was previously considered a strong candidate for the chair of the Federal Trade Commission.
Public information shows that Slater graduated from Oxford University and has worked at the Federal Trade Commission for over a decade, serving as an advisor to Julie Brill, a commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission during former President Obama's administration.
Previously, Vice President-elect Vance expressed a desire to see Google broken up, demonstrating a firm stance on antitrust issues. As a senior aide to Vance, Slater also holds a radical position against monopolistic practices.
According to top Wall Street traders who spoke to the media, Slater's nomination would mean that the new administration will continue the tough enforcement stance advocated by the Biden administration, with tech giants including Google, Apple, Meta, and Amazon facing a more stringent regulatory environment.
Insiders have analyzed:
"Given her (Slater's) stance during the campaign and her relationship with Vance, I believe she is fully capable of serving in the Department of Justice or as chair of the Federal Trade Commission."
Reports indicate that besides Slater, Melissa Holyoak, who holds a more conservative antitrust stance, is also a strong contender for the head of the Department of Justice's antitrust division. Trump's ally Mike Lee has publicly supported former enforcement official Mark Meador for this position.
Lee stated in a statement:
"The Federal Trade Commission urgently needs new leadership that will restore the agency's enforcement based on legal precedent and economics, and will continue to hold large tech companies accountable for anti-competitive behavior."