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DealBook|Are Cracks Appearing in Trump’s Antitrust Approach?
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/29/business/dealbook/justice-dept-antitrust-slater-loomer.html
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Andrew here. The text messages I received from workers at 345 Park Avenue on Monday were chilling: “We’re huddled in place,” one wrote. Another felt trapped, and some even piled couches against doors. The gunman stormed a building — home to Blackstone, the N.F.L., KPMG and Rudin Management — before he killed himself and others, including a Blackstone executive, Wesley LePatner, the firm said.
This shooting again brought gun violence to corporate America’s doorstep, after a gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s C.E.O., Brian Thompson, in December. While the investigation into Monday’s shooting continues, the authorities have found a note in which the gunman mentioned the N.F.L. and blamed football for his mental illness. He had a license to carry a gun in Nevada.
This tragedy raises critical questions about security in New York, mental health and gun control. It also forces us to consider the role businesses should play in trying to influence solutions for these issues. In the past two years, the answer has largely been silence. Most companies remain quiet, afraid to offend policymakers, some customers, or even employees. But silence is a choice — and right now, it may be worth re-evaluating.
A battle over the Justice Dept.’s antitrust cops
When President Trump took office in January, many corporate leaders hoped that he would make Washington more business friendly. That’s largely happened — except when it comes to antitrust.
Tensions over how the Justice Department reviews mergers appear to be reaching a boiling point. The fight is drawing attention from both the right-wing agitator Laura Loomer and from C.E.O.s trying to figure out how to navigate deals through Washington, especially after an unexpected settlement of a case over a major tech deal.
The latest: CBS News reports that Roger Alford and Bill Rinner, who were top deputies to Gail Slater, the Justice Department’s antitrust chief, were fired on Monday. The reasons for their dismissals aren’t clear, but sources cited insubordination, CBS News adds.
