A seismic shift in the Federal Trade Commission’s leadership is underway as President-elect Donald Trump announced Andrew Ferguson, a current FTC commissioner and former Virginia solicitor general, as his pick for the agency’s new chair. Trump declared the move on social media, framing Ferguson as a staunch defender of free speech and an adversary of Big Tech over alleged censorship of conservative voices.
“Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump proclaimed on his Truth Social platform, pledging a pro-innovation, America-first agenda under Ferguson’s stewardship.
Trump also revealed plans to nominate Mark Meador, an antitrust attorney with deep ties to Republican lawmakers, to fill the FTC seat left vacant by Lina Khan. Khan’s tenure, defined by aggressive antitrust actions against corporate giants, has been a lightning rod for debate among legal experts, business groups, and policymakers.
A Conservative Turn for the FTC
Ferguson has been vocal about scrutinizing online platforms for potential collusion to suppress conservative viewpoints, suggesting such practices may breach U.S. antitrust laws. His stance marks a stark ideological pivot from Khan’s broad enforcement tactics, which often drew praise from progressive advocates and skepticism from the business community.
The FTC’s docket under Ferguson could see significant shifts. Pending lawsuits against Amazon’s market dominance tactics and Meta’s acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp might be reassessed. Ferguson’s skepticism toward prior FTC probes into Microsoft’s cloud practices and OpenAI’s privacy policies also signals a potential recalibration of the agency’s priorities.
Antitrust at the Crossroads
This leadership shake-up comes as antitrust enforcement faces heightened scrutiny. Ferguson, a former Supreme Court clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas and counsel to Senator Mitch McConnell, is expected to bring a methodical approach to a full slate of cases against Big Tech and other industries.
Meanwhile, Trump’s broader antitrust strategy includes appointing Gail Slater, a close adviser to Vice President-elect JD Vance, to lead the Justice Department’s antitrust division. Together, these appointments underscore a concerted effort to reshape U.S. competition policy with a distinctly conservative lens.
As Ferguson prepares to assume the FTC helm, his leadership promises to redefine the agency’s approach to consumer protection and competition, setting the stage for a contentious new era in regulatory oversight.
