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DOJ Antitrust Chief Gail Slater Steps Down

By  |  February 12, 2026

Gail Slater, the Justice Department’s top antitrust official under President Donald Trump, has announced her resignation following internal tensions involving allies of Attorney-General Pam Bondi, marking a significant shift within the department’s leadership.

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    “It is with great sadness and abiding hope that I leave my role as AAG [assistant attorney-general] for Antitrust today,” Slater wrote in a post on X on Thursday.

    Her departure comes at a pivotal moment for the Department of Justice (DoJ), which is preparing for a high-profile trial against Live Nation Entertainment Inc. The case seeks to compel the company to divest its ticketing subsidiary, Ticketmaster. According to the Financial Times, Slater’s exit occurs just weeks before the agency is scheduled to head to court in the closely watched antitrust battle.

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    Slater publicly confirmed her resignation on X after inquiries from the Financial Times to both the White House and the Department of Justice regarding reports of her impending departure. Per the Financial Times, the DoJ had denied that she was leaving prior to her announcement.

    Having led the antitrust division since March, Slater was confirmed by the Senate and entered the role pledging aggressive enforcement against corporate consolidation. According to the Financial Times, her tenure was marked by friction within the department, particularly involving Bondi and officials aligned with the attorney-general.

    Read more: DOJ Files Landmark Court Action to Enforce Divestment of Chinese-Owned Tech Firm

    The shake-up underscores broader tensions within the DoJ over the direction of antitrust enforcement. Per the Financial Times, Slater had grown increasingly frustrated with what she viewed as political interference in ongoing investigations.

    Slater was considered politically close to Vice-President JD Vance, who has voiced support for stronger oversight of corporate power. However, according to the Financial Times, Vance did not publicly intervene to support her during the internal disputes.

    In the wake of her resignation, Omeed Assefi, a senior official within the antitrust division, is expected to assume the role of acting head of the unit, per the Financial Times.

    Source: The Financial Times