The White House is searching for a replacement for Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Joe Simons, a Republican who has publicly resisted President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on social media companies, reported Politico.
Simons, a veteran antitrust lawyer, hasn’t announced he’s leaving the agency. He is serving a term that doesn’t end until September 2024, and he cannot legally be removed by the president except in cases of gross negligence. But the White House has already interviewed at least one candidate for the post, the people said — a sign that the administration is preparing for an opening that could give Trump a chair more in line with his agenda.
John McEntee, who heads the White House personnel office, informally interviewed at least one candidate for the job, according to one individual. Two others confirmed that FTC veteran and Fox Corp. executive Gail Slater was among those interviewed. The people spoke anonymously to discuss internal White House deliberations.
Simons has helmed the agency since May 2018, overseeing a commission that is legally independent of the Trump administration, but would play a crucial role in the president’s efforts to combat what he alleges is anti-conservative bias by companies like Twitter. POLITICO reported last week that Trump has personally pushed Simons to aid that agenda, pressure that included a recent meeting with the FTC chair in the Oval Office.
Full Content: Politico
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