In a decisive 78-19 vote on Tuesday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Gail Slater as assistant attorney general for the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice, positioning the former FTC staffer and Trump administration economic adviser to take the reins in one of the most high-profile regulatory offices in Washington.
A Powerhouse in Antitrust Policy
Slater, who most recently served as an adviser to Vice President J.D. Vance during his Senate tenure, will now spearhead the DOJ’s antitrust enforcement efforts, inheriting an agency actively litigating landmark cases against Google, Apple, Live Nation/Ticketmaster, and Agri Stats.
The confirmation marks a rare moment of bipartisan unity, with Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, touting Slater’s credentials ahead of the vote.
“In a rare sign of unity in the Judiciary Committee I chair — where we don’t get a lot of unity — Ms. Slater was advanced out of committee by 20 yes-votes to two no-votes,” Grassley said on the Senate floor.
Despite broad support, Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, opposed the nomination, citing concerns over DOJ independence and potential political interference.
