Adam Candeub, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Justice Department's Antitrust Division, underwent a Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday. If confirmed, Candeub, a telecommunications law scholar and former FCC general counsel, would oversee significant antitrust cases, including those targeting Google's search dominance and Apple's App Store policies.
These cases could shape the government's approach to antitrust enforcement against major technology companies. Candeub has been a prominent critic of Big Tech, arguing that large online platforms have amassed excessive power and that regulators have not adequately addressed their impact on competition, speech, and public discourse.
"Big Tech’s market power undermines our Nation’s culture of vibrant democratic deliberation," Candeub stated in March 2023. He has also pointed to the "Twitter files" as evidence that "Big Tech has indeed limited particular groups, including dissenters, from important Government policies from full participation in national political discussions." Candeub warned that "Power to silence one group of Americans will be used sooner or later to silence another."
During his tenure at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration under Trump's first administration, Candeub advocated for reforms to Section 230, the law shielding online platforms from liability for user-generated content. In his contribution to Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint, he argued that antitrust enforcement has failed to account for the influence of major technology platforms on competition and information flow.
Candeub's nomination has received support from former Justice Department officials, including former Attorney General Bill Barr. Barr, who appointed Candeub as an associate deputy attorney general in 2020, praised his expertise in telecommunications law and described him as a "knowledgeable and capable leader."
More than a dozen current and former Justice Department officials signed a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee backing Candeub's nomination. The letter cited his experience at the FCC, the Office of the Associate Attorney General, the NTIA, and his academic background at Michigan State University. They asserted that the next leader of the Antitrust Division must be prepared to address the evolving challenges posed by technology, social media, and artificial intelligence with "intellectual seriousness and practical judgment."
Senator Dick Durbin indicated on X that he had met with Candeub to discuss merger reviews, Section 230 reform, and child protection online.