President Trump tapped Gail Slater, a veteran telecom and antitrust attorney, to lead the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. The pick puts someone with deep roots in technology policy at the helm of the government’s most powerful competition enforcement arm.

Who is Gail Slater

Slater, also known as Abigail Slater, previously worked at the Federal Trade Commission, where her focus was on mergers. She also served as a policy advisor on the National Economic Council during Trump’s first term, advising on technology, telecommunications, and the 5G rollout. She also spent time at the Internet Association, a trade group representing tech companies.

Trump framed the appointment in characteristically blunt terms.

“Big Tech has run wild for years, stifling competition in our most innovative sector.”

Senate confirmation and bipartisan backing

Slater’s nomination was announced on December 4, 2024. The Senate confirmed her on March 11, 2025, with bipartisan support.

Antitrust enforcement against Big Tech is one of the vanishingly rare issues where members of both parties can find common ground. Progressives worry about monopoly power crushing small competitors and consumers. Conservatives worry about platforms exercising too much control over speech and information.

The fact that Slater’s tenure was ultimately cut short — she stepped down in February 2026 amid internal tensions, with Omeed Assefi stepping in as acting Assistant Attorney General — adds another layer of uncertainty. Leadership turnover at enforcement agencies can mean shifts in priority, changes in prosecutorial appetite, or simply institutional friction that slows down ongoing investigations.