WASHINGTON: US President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday his intention to nominate Gail Slater as Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, signaling continued scrutiny of major technology companies.
"Big Tech has run wild for years, stifling competition in our most innovative sector," Trump said in a social media post announcing the nomination.
The move suggested his administration would largely maintain the aggressive antitrust stance adopted under President Joe Biden.
Slater previously served at the Federal Trade Commission and Trump's National Economic Council before working as an advisor to Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.
Her private sector experience includes positions at Fox Media, Roku, and the Internet Association, a Washington lobbying group representing major internet companies.
If confirmed, Slater would inherit several high-profile antitrust cases against tech giants.
The Justice Department currently shares five pending cases with the Federal Trade Commission, whose chairwoman Lina Khan has faced criticism from Silicon Valley over what some view as overly aggressive blocking of tech company acquisitions.
Vice President-elect Vance, who has worked in Silicon Valley, has expressed support for Khan, particularly her efforts to address concerns about monopolization and censorship in big tech.
The incoming Trump administration could pursue multiple paths with these cases – including those targeting Amazon, Apple and Meta – from continuing litigation to seeking settlements or dropping them entirely.
Trump indicated the division would pursue "vigorous and fair" enforcement while maintaining rules that support corporate innovation.
"I wouldn't expect any Trump DOJ antitrust head to drop their big tech antitrust cases, but there could be changes in strategy," said Adam Kovacevich, chief executive of industry trade group Chamber of Progress, who worked with Slater at the Internet Association.
Antitrust expert Matt Stoller, a harsh critic of tech giants, viewed the nomination as "a very powerful statement that Trump wants to take on big tech."
The DOJ's antitrust division, currently led by Jonathan Kanter, recently won a major case against Google.
To resolve that case, the department is now seeking to force Google to divest its market-dominating Chrome Internet browser, with a federal judge expected to rule on the matter in the coming months. – AFP
