President-elect Donald Trump has announced his intention to nominate Gail Slater, a seasoned tech and media policy adviser, to lead the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division.
If confirmed, Slater would inherit several high-profile cases, including efforts to break up Google’s search monopoly and address Apple’s practices related to switching software and hardware.
Slater, who has a background in both public service and the private sector, has previously worked as a policy adviser to Vice President-elect JD Vance and served as a tech policy adviser during Trump’s first term on the National Economic Council. She also held a position at the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under President Obama, focusing on antitrust and competition issues.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump emphasized his administration’s commitment to curbing the influence of major tech companies, saying:
“Big Tech has run wild for years, stifling competition in our most innovative sector.”
He further expressed confidence in Slater’s ability to continue the efforts of his first term in fighting the market power of large technology companies.
Slater’s nomination signals that the Trump administration intends to maintain a strong stance on antitrust enforcement, particularly in the tech sector, following the aggressive approach of the Biden administration. The Department of Justice (DOJ) under both Trump and Biden has taken action against tech giants like Google and Apple, and Slater would play a key role in overseeing these ongoing investigations. This includes cases against Google for monopolizing the online search market and Apple for potentially anti-competitive practices related to its ecosystem of products.
Slater’s nomination has drawn attention due to her ties to the tech industry, having previously worked with companies like Roku and Fox Corporation. Critics of Big Tech view her background as beneficial for tackling the challenges posed by powerful tech firms, while others question whether her ties to the industry could influence her approach to enforcement.
If confirmed, Slater would replace Jonathan Kanter, who has served as the assistant attorney general for antitrust under the Biden administration. She would be tasked with overseeing multiple ongoing cases, including those against Google, Apple, and Visa, as well as addressing mergers and acquisitions such as the proposed acquisition of Discover Financial Services by Capital One.
Axios, Bloomberg, and the New York Times contributed to this report.
