The FTC Chair Who Tilted the Agency To Trump

Who Andrew Ferguson Is

Andrew Ferguson is a Republican lawyer and regulator who became an FTC commissioner after an appointment during the Biden administration, and was later elevated to FTC chairman by President Donald Trump in his second term. Before joining the commission, he worked in antitrust and appellate roles, including time in private practice and on Capitol Hill, building a reputation as a conservative legal strategist.​

How He “Tilted” The FTC

Ferguson has explicitly aligned the FTC’s priorities with Trump’s political and cultural agenda, referring to it as the “Trump-Vance FTC” and framing himself as an officer implementing the elected president’s policy program. Critics say he is using the agency’s consumer protection and competition powers to pursue investigations tied to conservative concerns, such as alleged online censorship of right-leaning speech and actions by liberal advocacy groups.​

Key Actions Under His Leadership

Under Ferguson, the FTC has opened inquiries into how social media platforms may restrict political speech, especially content perceived as conservative. The agency has also scrutinized groups like Media Matters after complaints from Trump allies, and has attached unusual conditions to some mergers, including limits on politically motivated advertising boycotts.​

Shift in Enforcement Approach

Compared with his Democratic predecessor, Lina Khan, Ferguson has signaled a more business-friendly stance on mergers that do not raise clear legal problems, emphasizing quicker clearances. At the same time, he has backed Trump’s broad view of presidential power over independent agencies, including defending Trump’s removal of Democratic commissioners, which has left the FTC under unified Republican control.​

Summary Table of Ferguson’s Role