Trump names Gail Slater to lead DOJ's antitrust unit

Zoom in: Slater most recently was economic policy adviser to Vice President-elect Vance, who has been a fierce critic of Big Tech power.

• She also was a tech policy adviser to the National Economic Council during Trump's first term, after which she spent time at both Fox Corp. and Roku.
• Previously, Slater spent a decade with the Federal Trade Commission, which is the other federal body charged with enforcing antitrust law.

What Trump is saying, via a Truth Social post: "Big Tech has run wild for years, stifling competition in our most innovative sector and, as we all know, using its market power to crack down on the rights of so many Americans, as well as those of Little Tech! I was proud to fight these abuses in my First Term, and our Department of Justice's antitrust team will continue that work under Gail's leadership."

The bottom line: Many dealmakers have predicted a surge of M&A activity once President Biden leaves the White House, but Trump's first major antitrust pick might pour some cold water on that optimism.