Senate confirms President Trump's Pick for DOJ Antitrust Division

The Senate voted to confirm President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Justice Department’s antitrust division, a vote that comes as the department considers the AT&T-Time Warner merger worth $85.4 billion. Makan Delrahim, who previously worked in Trump’s White House counsel’s office, was cleared with a 73-21 vote.

Delrahim will be tasked with spearheading the administration’s antitrust agenda at a time when the issue is becoming increasingly prominent. Across the board, industries are facing increased consolidation amid rumors of mega-mergers. Sprint and T-Mobile are reportedly set to announce a merger in the coming weeks that would reduce the number of major national wireless carriers from four to three. And the AT&T-Time Warner deal has prompted criticism from Democrats who worry that it could stifle competitors and raise prices for consumers. Delrahim said in a media interview in 2016, prior to his nomination, that he doesn’t see that merger as a concern for regulators.