Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has thrown his weight behind a bold legislative proposal aimed at streamlining U.S. antitrust enforcement. Musk’s endorsement came in response to U.S. Senator Mike Lee’s initiative to merge the antitrust units of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), a move that would place sole responsibility for antitrust matters under the DOJ’s jurisdiction.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk stated, “Sounds logical,” endorsing the idea of consolidating the two key antitrust enforcement agencies into one powerful body. This would mark a significant shift in how the U.S. handles antitrust laws, reducing redundancy and potentially increasing efficiency in tackling anti-competitive business practices.
Senator Lee, a Republican from Utah, has championed the “One Agency Act,” a bill he first introduced in 2020, which proposes removing the FTC’s authority over antitrust enforcement and transferring it to the DOJ. The FTC and DOJ have shared jurisdiction for over a century, working together to safeguard U.S. markets from monopolistic behavior and ensuring fair competition.
In a statement shared on X, Senator Lee likened the current dual-agency system to an undesirable scenario, stating, “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.” Lee’s strong words emphasize his belief that consolidating power will reduce inefficiency and improve the enforcement of antitrust laws.
The latest version of the bill, now in the U.S. House, was introduced by Representative Ben Cline of Virginia. If enacted, it would allow the DOJ’s Antitrust Division to restructure the newly merged agency to enhance its effectiveness. However, Democrats have raised concerns about the implications of such a merger. They argue that it could weaken the FTC’s broader consumer protection mandate under the FTC Act, which the agency used in 2024 to sue pharmacy benefit managers for anti-competitive behavior. Unlike the FTC, the DOJ does not hold the same sweeping authority to regulate unfair methods of competition.
While the FTC and DOJ have yet to comment on the proposed bill, the debate surrounding the merger has sparked significant interest across political lines. Proponents argue that streamlining government agencies will reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies and bring about more effective enforcement of antitrust laws, while critics worry about the potential loss of consumer protection capabilities.
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