WASHINGTON, D.C. — Adam Candeub is being considered for assistant attorney general for the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. A final decision on the appointment has not been made, and a White House spokeswoman said there were no personnel announcements at this time.
Candeub currently serves as general counsel of the Federal Communications Commission under Chairman Brendan Carr. He previously held a senior fellowship at the Center for Renewing America, a conservative think tank founded by Russell Vought. The assistant attorney general for antitrust oversees mergers and acquisitions and enforces laws against price fixing, a role that would place Candeub at the center of major corporate deal reviews, including the pending merger between Warner Bros. and Paramount Skydance.
Omeed Assefi, the current acting assistant attorney general for antitrust, is departing next month. Assefi had long planned to exit in June, when his first child is due, and had informed White House counsel David Warrington and others of his departure timeline. “Omeed Assefi has been a valuable leader in our Antitrust Division, and we are grateful for his time serving the nation,” a Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement.
Assefi’s departure follows the February termination of Gail Slater, who was removed from the role after a series of clashes with then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and their team. Other candidates interviewed for the position include Mike Murray, a former Justice Department lawyer who co-chairs the antitrust practice at Paul Hastings LLP, and Adam Cella, a lawyer who works for House Republicans.
The next assistant attorney general for antitrust will also determine whether to pursue enforcement actions that affect consumer prices, a priority Assefi highlighted during his tenure. The Antitrust Division is responsible for reviewing proposed mergers to prevent anti-competitive outcomes and for prosecuting violations of antitrust laws.