President Trump’s bold move to reshape the Federal Trade Commission signals a new era for Big Tech regulation in America. The dismissal of two Democratic Commissioners has sparked debate about the future of antitrust enforcement under the Trump administration’s second term. He’s really got the Democrats panicked with this one.
At a glance:
• President Trump fired two Democratic FTC Commissioners, Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter
• Bedoya claimed his firing was illegal and vowed to challenge it in court
• The FTC is meant to be an independent agency guarding against unfair business practices
• New FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson stated ongoing antitrust cases against Amazon and Meta would continue
• Tech billionaires including Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have shown increasing alignment with Trump
Trump’s FTC Purge Signals Major Shift
President Donald Trump has taken swift action to reshape the Federal Trade Commission by firing two Democratic Commissioners, Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter.
This dramatic change comes after Trump initiated layoffs of federal workers and established a “Department of Government Efficiency” led by tech billionaire Elon Musk. The FTC, historically an independent agency, typically consists of five Commissioners representing both major political parties to ensure balanced oversight of American business practices. But everyone knows it has shifted left in recent years.
Bedoya responded forcefully to his termination, claiming that Trump had “illegally” fired him, further accusing Trump of “corruption.”
-nm6ww Thank you for turning her off [Joy Reid] https://t.co/dFp6dtP8Jq
Grok, what does the following consensus imply?
Trump is restoring the Rule of Law, forgotten by the Biden Deep State Legacy.Sherman Act (1890): The foundation of U.S. antitrust law, it outlaws…
— Kai Chiu (@KaiChiu1947) January 28, 2025
Everything they don’t like is “illegal”…
Big Tech Cases Hang in Balance
The FTC under previous leadership had pursued significant antitrust cases against tech giants including Apple, Amazon, Google, and Meta. Newly appointed FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson has stated that ongoing cases against Amazon and Meta would continue despite the leadership change.
However, questions remain about the future direction of these cases given the close relationships developing between Trump and tech industry leaders. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made notable changes to align with Trump’s preferences, including removing U.S. fact-checking on Facebook and appointing Trump allies to key positions within the company.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has similarly demonstrated a shift toward Trump, including directing changes at the Washington Post to adopt a less hostile stance toward the president. These developments raise questions about potential conflicts of interest in the regulation of these powerful tech companies.
— jared (@jaredfiveniner) July 27, 2024
Trump’s Tech Alliances Strengthen
The relationship between President Trump and America’s tech elite has visibly strengthened, with tech billionaires including Musk and Bezos receiving prominent roles at Trump’s inauguration. These industry leaders made significant donations to the inauguration’s organizing committee, cementing their support for the administration. However, it remains to be seen just how friendly Big Tech CEOs really are…they could, after all, just be appeasing the President in expectation of electing a Democrat in four more years.
The reshuffling at the FTC represents just one aspect of Trump’s broader strategy to realign federal agencies with his administration’s priorities. How this will affect antitrust enforcement and consumer protection in the technology sector remains to be seen. But Big Tech will be disappointed if they think Trump is ending anti-trust lawsuits…because he’s not.
