On May 5, 2025, the newest Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Mark R. Meador, spoke at the Second Annual Antitrust Conference at George Washington University.
His prepared remarks offer insight into his approach to antitrust enforcement, addressing what he sees as common antitrust enforcement myths.
In dispelling the first myth—“antitrust is regulation”—the Commissioner is very clear: “Antitrust is law enforcement, period. Full stop.”
He similarly and succinctly rejects four other myths related to antitrust enforcement:
- “Vertical integration is always procompetitive.” Commissioner Meador makes the contrary case that vertical integration is not always procompetitive, particularly in non-physical markets such as technology.
- “Innovation can justify exclusion.” The Commissioner instead asserts the need to identify conduct that forecloses alternatives.
- “We need national champions to compete with China.” The Commissioner suggests, to the contrary, that competition is better suited by free enterprise.
- “Structural remedies are an extreme measure.” He counters that structural remedies can be a way to restore free markets.
Commissioner Meador concludes his comments with what might be seen as a policy warning, making clear that the current FTC’s interest in antitrust enforcement is not limited to technology platforms or “Big Tech,” but extends to every industry, including “groceries, healthcare, and energy.”
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