Elon Musk Backs Bill to Consolidate Antitrust Enforcement Under DOJ

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur known for his influence on policy discussions, has expressed support for legislation that would consolidate federal antitrust enforcement within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), removing such authority from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). According to Reuters, Musk’s endorsement came in response to a social media post by Senator Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, who has been advocating for the restructuring of antitrust oversight.

Late Wednesday night, Musk commented “Sounds logical” on X (formerly Twitter) in reaction to Lee’s post, in which the senator voiced optimism that efforts to improve government efficiency—potentially involving both Musk and former President Donald Trump—would include examining antitrust enforcement consolidation.

Per Reuters, Lee referenced the One Agency Act, legislation he initially proposed in 2020, which aims to place all federal antitrust responsibilities under the DOJ.

Related: GOP Pushes for Antitrust Authority Consolidation Under DOJ in New Legislation

The United States has maintained a dual-agency approach to antitrust enforcement for over a century, with both the FTC and DOJ playing roles in regulating market competition. Lee, a longtime critic of this arrangement, reiterated his stance in a post on Wednesday, arguing, “We should no more have two antitrust agencies than two presidents of the United States—no more than the Catholic Church should have two popes.”

As of Thursday, spokespeople for both the DOJ and FTC had not provided comments on the proposed restructuring, according to Reuters.

The One Agency Act is currently pending in the U.S. House, with a version introduced by Representative Ben Cline, a Republican from Virginia. If enacted, the bill would grant the head of the DOJ’s antitrust division the authority to restructure the newly consolidated agency. While the FTC would retain its role in enforcing consumer protection laws, critics—particularly among Democrats—have raised concerns that the legislation could weaken federal oversight of anticompetitive business practices.

According to Reuters, opponents of the bill fear that removing the FTC’s broad authority under the FTC Act would hinder regulatory action against unfair competition. In a notable example, the FTC leveraged this authority in 2024 to file lawsuits against pharmacy benefit managers, an action the DOJ would be unable to replicate under existing law.

The debate over the bill highlights the ongoing discussion about the effectiveness and efficiency of U.S. antitrust enforcement, with lawmakers and business leaders weighing in on the potential impact of consolidating authority under a single agency.

Source: Reuters