In a significant shift in antitrust enforcement, President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Andrew Ferguson as the new chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), replacing Lina Khan, who has been a central figure in the Biden administration's aggressive antitrust strategy [d6d46f0e]. Ferguson, a Republican FTC member since April 2024 and former Virginia solicitor general, has been vocal against what he perceives as Big Tech's censorship practices [d6d46f0e].
Ferguson's appointment signals a potential pivot in the FTC's approach to competition law and consumer protection. Under Khan, the FTC faced scrutiny from corporate America for its stringent regulations and rule-making efforts, including a controversial ban on non-compete clauses [d6d46f0e]. Trump's administration is expected to adopt a more lenient stance towards major technology companies, which could lead to a rollback of some of the aggressive enforcement actions initiated under the Biden administration [d6d46f0e].
Additionally, Trump has appointed Mark Meador as an FTC commissioner, further solidifying a Republican-led commission that may prioritize deregulation and support for tech figures like Elon Musk, particularly regarding his ownership of X [d6d46f0e]. As the FTC's role in overseeing federal competition law evolves, the implications of Ferguson's leadership could reshape the regulatory landscape for Big Tech and alter the dynamics of antitrust enforcement in the United States [d6d46f0e].