Elections Outlook Report - Flipbook - Page 28
Antitrust &
Judiciary
Republican’s and the business community have made no
secret about their criticism of the Biden Administration’s
aggressive antitrust enforcement over the past four years.
However, President Trump and J.D. Vance championed a
“populist” economic approach on the campaign trail and we
do not expect a full reversal on scrutiny over M&A deals, but
instead a more measured approach and a focus on more
moderate remedies. The level of regulatory oversight is
likely to vary by industry, with the pharmaceutical, tech, and
agriculture industries potentially receiving more scrutiny
than other sectors. The Republican Senate will mean Trump
will have his pick of regulators, and we are closely watching
his Federal Trade Commission and DOJ Antitrust Division
appointments.
Elsewhere, we expect immigration to dominate the House
and Senate Judiciary Committee agendas, largely on a
partisan basis. While the focus will be on border security
and immigration enforcement, the Trump Administration
and Congressional Republicans could look to restrict or
amend various foreign worker visa programs. Other hot
topics in the Judiciary Committees could be patent and
IP legislation, as Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Senator
Chris Coons (D-DE) have a track record of bipartisan
work. President Trump did not focus on IP rights on the
campaign trail, but his nominations to the United States
Patent and Trademark Office and Federal Circuit over the
next two years will be telling. We also expect the Trump
Administration to be aggressive in protecting U.S. IP rights,
especially with respect to China.”
Ches Garrison
