Overview

• President Donald Trump on Aug. 13 revoked Executive Order 14036, ending the Biden administration’s whole-of-government competition framework.
• FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson and the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division praised the change, outlining an “America First Antitrust” posture that emphasizes market-led outcomes.
• The Antitrust Division said it has restarted early termination for uncontroversial Hart-Scott-Rodino merger filings and revived targeted settlements through consent decrees.
• The 2023 Merger Guidelines and the expanded HSR filing rules finalized on Feb. 10, 2025 remain in force, preserving stringent information requirements and guiding agency analysis.
• Healthcare analysts say smaller or regional hospital deals could face fewer hurdles, though large market-shaping transactions will still draw case-by-case scrutiny; the announcement preceded UnitedHealth’s $3.3 billion Amedisys acquisition by one day.