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Donald Trump’s top antitrust enforcer Gail Slater is leaving the Department of Justice after clashes with allies of attorney-general Pam Bondi in a major shake-up at the DoJ.
“It is with great sadness and abiding hope that I leave my role as AAG [assistant attorney-general] for Antitrust today,” Slater said in a post on X on Thursday.
Her tweet came after the FT approached the White House and Department of Justice about her imminent departure. The DoJ denied that she was leaving.
Slater has led the DoJ’s antitrust unit since March. Omeed Assefi, another senior official in the antitrust division, is expected to become the acting director of the division, the people said.
The upheaval comes after Slater faced internal pressure from Bondi and allies over her handling of DoJ antitrust investigations.
Slater, a Senate-confirmed appointee who entered office pledging robust enforcement against corporate consolidation, has been frustrated with persistent political interference from Bondi and those linked to her, the people said.
Slater’s closest political ally was vice-president JD Vance, who has expressed sympathy for tougher scrutiny of corporate power. But he has not publicly intervened on her behalf.
This is a developing story