Gail Slater, who headed the antitrust division at the Department of Justice for nearly a year, has stepped down from her position. A report by CNN, quoting two sources familiar with the matter, said the Donald Trump administration forced her out earlier this week.

However, Slater suggested in a post on X that her departure was her own decision.

Ongoing Clashes With Senior Officials

According to the report, Slater had disagreements for several months with Attorney General Pam Bondi and officials in the West Wing. Sources said many people in Washington had already expected her removal because of these tensions.

The administration has not yet announced who will permanently replace her in the role.

Reaction From Justice Department

In a statement released on Thursday, Bondi offered restrained appreciation for Slater’s work.

“On behalf of the Department of Justice, we thank Gail Slater for her service to the Antitrust Division which works to protect consumers, promote affordability, and expand economic opportunity,” she said, according to CNN.

Role of the Antitrust Division

The antitrust division is responsible for enforcing US competition laws. It investigates and files civil and criminal cases against companies to ensure fair business practices and protect market competition.

In recent years, the division has taken action against major tech firms like Apple and Google. Inside the department, Slater was known for pushing a tougher approach against large technology companies. Many of their leaders have strong access to the White House, which reportedly added to internal friction.

Pardon Case Added to Tensions

Differences between Slater and the White House became clear in December. Trump granted a “full and unconditional pardon” to Tim Leiweke, co-founder of Oak View Group. He had been charged earlier in 2025 in a case handled by the Justice Department under Slater’s supervision.

At that time, Slater had strongly defended the case, saying, “As outlined in the indictment, the Defendant rigged a bidding process to benefit his own company and deprived a public university and taxpayers of the benefits of competitive bidding,” Slater said in a statement.

Slater Calls Role an Honour

In her post on X on Thursday, Slater expressed her feelings about leaving the position.

“It is with great sadness and abiding hope that I leave my role as AAG for Antitrust today. It was indeed the honor of a lifetime to serve in this role.”