DOJ to Cut Costly Consultant Spending in Antitrust Cases 

United States: Extension Division Head Gail Slater under the U.S. Department of Justice announced plans to examine spending on costly economic consultants because President Donald Trump wants to reduce federal government expenses as outlined in an internal memo obtained by Reuters. 

The antitrust landscape prioritizes inflation investigation and consumer market competition while maintaining focus on Greater Anticipation of Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater through her Thursday staff memo. 

The assessment of consultants presents initial clues about how antitrust officials will synchronize Trump’s intense enforcement policies with Musk’s government budget reduction plans called the Department of Government Efficiency. 

Balancing Antitrust Enforcement with Budget Cuts 

The Department of Justice uses antitrust cases to prevent acquisitions by stopping mergers of businesses and dividing companies while establishing regulatory requirements to stop anticompetitive business practices. The legal process requires such experts, who typically demand payments of up to $30 million per case. 

“We have world-class economists in-house, and we can and should utilize and maximize their talents before seeking outside help,” Slater said in the memo. 

Focus on Inflation, Consumer Markets, and National Security 

The division will dedicate its constrained resources mainly to market oversight for products affecting U.S. consumer interests and crucial national security competition-related sectors. 

“In an era of rising prices, pocketbook issues are front of mind, and we will prioritize these markets,” Slater wrote, bringing the department’s legal firepower to a central campaign promise of Trump, fighting inflation. 

On the national security front, she noted global competition in artificial intelligence, 5G, and quantum computing and said, “We are relying on competitive markets to win these global technological races, and antitrust has a key role to play here,” suggesting the three areas may be a focus of her department going forward.