By Ilana Kowarski ( May 7, 2026, 21:58 GMT | Insight) -- The US Department of Justice Antitrust Division’s proper role is to safeguard competition, as opposed to commandeering the economy, which explains why the DOJ prefers structural remedies in merger antitrust cases, Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed Assefi said during a speech Thursday. Handpicking “winners and losers in industries” is not the DOJ’s right or responsibility, so the division’s sole focus during merger review will be to evaluate whether a deal is lawful, he said.The US Department of Justice Antitrust Division’s proper role is to safeguard competition, as opposed to commandeering the economy, which explains why the DOJ prefers structural remedies in merger antitrust cases, Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed Assefi said during a speech Thursday. Handpicking “winners and losers in industries” is not the DOJ’s right or responsibility, so the division’s sole focus during merger review will be to evaluate whether a deal is lawful, he said....
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