Gail Slater Says She’s Departing As DOJ Antitrust Chief

A Live Nation spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment. Shares of Live Nation spiked in the 10 minutes after Slater announced her departure.

Slater was confirmed last year to her post in a 78-13 Senate vote, drawing support not just from Republicans but Democrats who were convinced that she would exercise tough but fair antitrust enforcement.

As a number of mergers have come under her review, some Democrats viewed her as a bulwark against political influence in other areas of the administration. Slater was an aide to JD Vance when he served in the Senate, was a former staff attorney at the Federal Trade Commission and former executive with Fox Corp.

Democrats criticized Slater’s firing.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, called for a hearing on Slater’s ouster. He said that her exit was “part of an ongoing pattern of corruption in the Trump Administration.”

“Ms. Slater prioritized consumer protection and fair competition practices that bring down prices for American families and was confirmed to this role with bipartisan support,” he said in a statement. “As this Administration continues to replace leaders with integrity with those who favor corporate interests, the American people pay the price.:

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who authored a book on antitrust law, said in a statement that Slater’s departure is a “major loss,” and that it raises “significant concerns about this Administration’s commitment to enforcing the antitrust laws for the betterment of consumers and small businesses, including seeing through its cases against monopolies.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said in a statement, “Americans’ top concern is affordability, but one of Trump’s few bipartisan-supported nominees — the top law enforcement official responsible for stopping illegal monopolies and protecting American consumers — was just ousted. Why? It looks like corruption. A small army of MAGA-aligned lawyers and lobbyists have been trying to sell off merger approvals that will increase prices and harm innovation to the highest bidder. 

“Every antitrust case in front of the Trump Justice Department now reeks of double-dealing — Ticketmaster’s stock is already surging. Congress has a responsibility to unearth exactly what happened and hold the Trump administration accountable.”

The Justice Department was joined in its lawsuit against Live Nation by 30 state attorneys general, including California’s, Rob Bonta. “While the federal government has abdicated its responsibility to look out for people’s economic wellbeing — in California, we never will,” he said in a statement. “My office has led the nation in consumer protection and antitrust work for decades, and we will continue to do so.”

There already had been reported friction between Slater and others in the administration.

At her confirmation hearing last year, she gave indications that she would pursue aggressive antitrust enforcement in areas like big tech, but the settlement of a Hewlett Packard Enterprise merger with Juniper Networks last summer raised eyebrows. After reports that Slater opposed the settlement but was overruled by Bondi, Democrats seized on it as an example of political interference from Trump-supporting lobbyists.

Donald Trump said in December that he would be involved in his administration’s review of the Warner Bros. transaction, departing from longstanding norms that president’s keep an arm’s length from the work of the DOJ. But in an interview with NBC News last week, Trump said that he “decided I shouldn’t be involved. The Justice Department will.” Trump has praised Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and Paramount CEO David Ellison, whose father, Larry, is a longtime supporter. In the NBC News interview, Trump also noted that “there is a theory that one of the companies is too big, and it shouldn’t be allowed to do it. And the other company is saying something else.”

“They are beating the hell out of each other, and there will be a winner,” Trump said.

In a statement, Bondi said, “On behalf of the Department of Justice, we thank Gail Slater for her service to the Antitrust Division which works to protect consumers, promote affordability, and expand economic opportunity.”

Chad Mizelle, who served as chief of staff at the Justice Department last year, wrote, “No one is entitled to work at DOJ. You must be willing to put aside personal agendas and vendettas to advance the President’s priorities and serve the American people. DOJ antitrust will continue protecting consumers and become an even stronger advocate for fair market dynamics. American competitiveness will proposer!”

Earlier this week, one of Slater’s top deputies, Mark Hamer, who focused on civil litigation and enforcement, departed.

It’s unclear if Slater’s exit will delay the DOJ’s review of the Netflix-Warner Bros. transaction, albeit the division’s antitrust scrutiny is just one regulatory hurdle before the deal can close.