Bombshell Document Details Corruption at Trump's Antitrust Division

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A bombshell document filed by state attorneys general alleges widespread corruption and misconduct within the Trump administration's Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice. The document details how corporate lobbyists with close ties to Trump used their political connections to sideline career antitrust officials and push through merger approvals, including the controversial Hewlett Packard-Juniper Networks deal, despite concerns over reduced competition and higher prices for consumers. The investigation uncovers a web of backroom dealings, secret meetings, and retaliation against officials who resisted the corrupt influence peddling.

Why it matters

This case highlights the extent to which the Trump administration prioritized serving the interests of big business over upholding antitrust laws and protecting consumers. It represents a serious abuse of power and undermining of the DOJ's role as an impartial enforcer of competition. The revelations could have significant legal and political repercussions, potentially leading to criminal investigations and further eroding public trust in the Trump presidency.

The details

The document alleges that Hewlett Packard hired well-connected Republican lobbyists like Mike Davis and Arthur Schwartz to use their political influence to pressure the Antitrust Division into approving the company's acquisition of rival Juniper Networks. This included cutting out career DOJ officials like Gail Slater who were pushing for more substantial divestitures, and instead negotiating directly with inexperienced Trump loyalists like Omeed Assefi. The lobbyists allegedly met secretly with DOJ officials, destroyed evidence of their communications, and even got the previous Antitrust chief fired when she resisted their efforts. An internal DOJ witness, Roger Alford, also testified to witnessing wrongdoing, despite the department's attempts to silence him.

• In January 2025, the acting Antitrust chief, Omeed Assefi, initially sued to block the Hewlett Packard-Juniper merger.
• In March 2025, Gail Slater was confirmed as the new Antitrust chief and brought in a team to aggressively negotiate with Hewlett Packard for substantial divestitures.
• In mid-May 2025, lobbyist Mike Davis had a 'falling out' with Slater after she resisted his efforts to undermine the DOJ's negotiations.
• In June 2025, a DOJ official named Bill Rinner publicly criticized the lobbyists for trying to 'hash out merger settlements over martinis' rather than working with the professional staff.
• In July 2025, the proposed settlement was filed with the court, signed by a Trump political appointee rather than the career DOJ attorneys who had worked on the case.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The judge overseeing the Hewlett Packard-Juniper merger settlement will decide whether to approve the deal or reject it as not being in the public interest. If rejected, the DOJ will have to negotiate a new settlement or drop the case entirely. Regardless, the revelations of corruption are likely to have lasting damage to the reputation of the Trump DOJ and could lead to potential criminal investigations by state and federal authorities.