On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, the Senate confirmed Gail Slater as the Assistant Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division (Division). While Slater has been circumspect in her public comments regarding past and anticipated Division priorities, her prior experience and recent statements offer early insights into her expected approach.

On February 4, 2025, President Donald Trump issued his second National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSM-2), enacting “maximum pressure on the Iranian regime.” While Iran is already subject to robust and comprehensive U.S. economic sanctions and embargos, NSM-2 focuses on denying Iran nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles, countering Iran’s development of weapons, and disrupting those who act on behalf of Iran (including Iran’s “surrogates” and “terror proxy groups”).