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Senior DOJ Antitrust Officials Placed on Leave Amid Internal Turmoil

By  |  July 27, 2025

Two high-ranking officials in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division have been placed on administrative leave following internal tensions with agency leadership, according to MLex. Roger Alford and Bill Rinner, both considered key figures in the division’s enforcement efforts, were abruptly removed from their positions earlier this week, raising questions about the direction of antitrust policy under the current administration.

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    The situation escalated when, according to Semafor, individuals familiar with DOJ operations reported that Alford and Rinner were no longer serving in their roles. By Thursday morning, their profiles had vanished from the department’s website, only to reappear a few hours later. A DOJ spokesperson later clarified that the two had not been formally dismissed.

    This development comes amid broader concerns that antitrust enforcement is being deprioritized in favor of ideological and political goals. As reported by MLex, critics argue that the Trump administration’s approach has emphasized policies aimed at bolstering Big Tech’s competitive stance in artificial intelligence against China and curbing corporate diversity initiatives—efforts that appear to be sidelining traditional antitrust objectives.

    The episode adds to a growing perception that merger and acquisition approvals are increasingly being leveraged for political or ideological bargaining. Notably, Assistant Attorney General Lee Slater recently signed off on a controversial telecom merger, acknowledging that the deal would solidify an already limited competitive landscape in the cellphone market. Per MLex, this approval has sparked criticism from antitrust advocates who fear the deal could further entrench market power among a few dominant players.

    Source: MLex; Semafor