Gail Slater Departs Justice Department Amid Internal Conflicts and Merger Controversies

Gail Slater, who led the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division, departed from her role on Thursday. Her tenure was marked by reported conflicts with Attorney General Pam Bondi, other senior officials, and the White House. Her exit follows significant controversies, including a proposed merger between Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Juniper Networks, and broader disagreements over the division's enforcement approach.

Departure Announcement and Context

Ms. Slater announced her departure via a social media post, expressing sentiments about her service. Attorney General Pam Bondi released a statement thanking Ms. Slater for her service and acknowledging her work to "protect consumers, promote affordability, and expand economic opportunity."

Reports indicated that Ms. Slater had been in conflict with Attorney General Bondi and the West Wing for several months.

Attorney General Bondi had reportedly communicated to the White House that disagreements regarding the division's direction and management were irreconcilable. Some observers had anticipated Ms. Slater's departure.

Controversy Surrounding Hewlett Packard Enterprise Merger

A significant point of tension centered on Ms. Slater's efforts to block a proposed $14 billion merger between Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Juniper Networks, a cloud-computing and software company. Ms. Slater reportedly opposed the deal, citing its potential to create a duopoly in cloud-computing and wireless-networking systems. She also reportedly informed Attorney General Bondi that the U.S. intelligence community had not raised national security concerns regarding the merger.

However, CIA Director John Ratcliffe later stated that blocking the merger would pose national security risks and indicated he had not been consulted on the matter.

Attorney General Bondi reportedly expressed to associates that she believed Ms. Slater had provided inaccurate information in pursuit of the suit.

The Justice Department subsequently dropped the suit in June 2025, opting instead to negotiate a settlement with Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Following this, Senate Democrats alleged improper political influence and requested a federal judge review the settlement.

Other Internal Tensions and External Relations

Further tensions arose when Attorney General Bondi denied Ms. Slater's request to travel to a conference in Paris, where Ms. Slater was scheduled to chair a competition committee as required by a treaty. When Ms. Slater attended the conference, her government credit cards were cancelled by Attorney General Bondi. Ms. Slater expressed surprise, noting that her international travel frequency had been lower than that of her predecessors.

Ms. Slater also reportedly experienced isolation outside the department, particularly concerning JD Vance, who had previously been an ally. Vance's support reportedly diminished amid reports that Ms. Slater had invoked his name and continued conflicts with Attorney General Bondi. Vance ultimately decided not to interfere with Attorney General Bondi's management of her agency. To address internal friction, two of Ms. Slater's deputies were dismissed.

Antitrust Division's Mandate and Slater's Tenure

The Justice Department's antitrust division is responsible for enforcing U.S. antitrust laws and promoting competition. Under Ms. Slater's leadership, the division accelerated the early review process for proposed mergers, shortening the 30-day assessment window when no competition concerns were present, a move aimed at encouraging dealmaking. Ms. Slater also advocated for aggressive enforcement against technology companies, with the division pursuing cases against companies such as Apple and Google.

In a related development, President Trump issued a pardon for Tim Leiweke, co-founder of Oak View Group, in December. Mr. Leiweke had been indicted in a case led by Ms. Slater's division earlier in the year; Ms. Slater had previously indicated the indictment alleged a rigged bidding process to benefit Mr. Leiweke's company.

Reactions and Future Implications

Senator Elizabeth Warren commented on Ms. Slater's departure, alleging improper political influence in merger approvals and calling for a congressional investigation.

The antitrust division is anticipated to assess a proposed deal involving Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery, with Paramount reportedly seeking to counter this deal. President Trump had previously stated he would not be involved in the deal, affirming that the Justice Department would handle it. However, Paramount CEO David Ellison reportedly met privately with President Trump at the White House last week.

Omeed Assefi, who previously served as acting head of the antitrust division, is expected to assume the role on an interim basis. Ms. Slater was confirmed to her post by the U.S. Senate with 78 votes and gained prominence after serving as a senior adviser to Vance.