President-elect Donald Trump has announced Andrew Ferguson as his choice to lead the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
“Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday.
Ferguson, currently serving as an FTC commissioner, previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, according to his biography. Following the announcement, Ferguson expressed his gratitude for the nomination.
“I am honored to be chosen to lead the FTC,” Ferguson said in a post on X. “At the FTC, we will end Big Tech’s vendetta against competition and free speech. We will make sure that America is the world’s technological leader and the best place for innovators to bring new ideas to life.”
Trump also revealed his selection of Mark Meador as his nominee for FTC commissioner.
“Mark has also worked as an antitrust enforcer at both the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice Antitrust Division, and in private practice at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP,” Trump said in his post.
Trump’s reelection has sparked speculation about how his administration will approach ongoing antitrust cases against major tech companies, including Apple and Amazon. Google is also awaiting a decision on whether a federal judge will accept the U.S. government’s recommendation to force the company to sell off Chrome after its search business was ruled a monopoly. Additionally, the new administration could potentially dismiss current FTC investigations.
Last week, Ferguson praised Trump’s choice of Gail Slater to lead the Justice Department’s antitrust division, calling it a strong move to continue prosecuting large tech platforms for alleged competition abuses.
The current FTC chair, Lina Khan, has taken an aggressive stance on antitrust enforcement, blocking numerous corporate mergers and acquisitions in collaboration with the Justice Department’s antitrust division. Under her leadership, the FTC has targeted industries ranging from Big Tech and Big Pharma to even Big Mattress, arguing that unchecked consolidation stifles competition, raises prices, and harms workers.
One of Khan’s most notable actions was the FTC’s lawsuit to block the $25 billion merger of grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons, which a federal judge halted on Tuesday. Her efforts have drawn criticism from Wall Street and some Republicans, though others within the GOP have supported tougher antitrust enforcement.
Notably, Vice President-elect JD Vance praised Khan earlier this year, saying in February that she is “one of the few people in the Biden administration that I think is doing a pretty good job.” This has led to some Republicans being labeled “Khanservatives” for advocating stronger antitrust scrutiny, even as Trump is expected to replace Khan with Ferguson.