The era of bipartisan goodwill surrounding the Trump administration's approach to antitrust enforcement appears to have officially run its course. A coalition of lawmakers and advocates that once offered the administration the benefit of the doubt on monopoly regulation is now decisively shifting its stance.
In a recent address that underscored the Justice Department's defensive but aggressive posture, acting antitrust chief Omeed Assefi turned to classic cinema to make his point. Borrowing Michael Corleone's iconic line from The Godfather, Assefi titled his Monday speech, "It’s not personal, Sonny, it’s strictly business."
Speaking at an event hosted by George Washington University in partnership with the legal publication MLex, Assefi painted a picture of a highly energized regulatory body. He assured attendees that the agency is currently firing on all cylinders and remains fully mobilized to stand strong against bad corporate actors, even as the political honeymoon surrounding its broader enforcement agenda comes to an abrupt end.