With his early nominations and personnel appointments, President-elect Donald Trump has made clear his intent to shake up the status quo. Yet Lina Khan, the Biden-appointed sitting chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission, has been inexplicably floated in some circles as a candidate to stay on in the Trump administration.
Khan has done nothing to quell the rumors, even touting the praise she has received from Vice President-elect J.D. Vance and Matt Gaetz, Trump’s first choice as attorney general, during a recent FTC open meeting. It was a transparent Hail Mary attempt to keep her job, and one that should be swatted down immediately.
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If Trump is serious about reversing Biden-era economic policies that the electorate rejected, Khan must not only be replaced as chairwoman of the five-person commission, but she must be replaced with a new commissioner who shares Trump’s vision.
Here are three reasons why.
Khan’s FTC has smothered success and innovation
Under Khan’s tenure, success stories have been treated like enemies of the state. She has launched high-profile lawsuits against iconic brand names, including seeking their outright breakup in some cases. Khan has waged a ceaseless war against Amazon, the convenient e-commerce marketplace that millions are gearing up to use for their holiday shopping ahead of Black Friday.
The meddling from government regulators is already creating headaches for consumers. Just this week, Spirit Airlines declared bankruptcy, months after a court sided with Khan’s partner in crime, the Department of Justice’s Jonathan Kanter, who sought to block Spirit’s proposed merger with JetBlue, which was the company’s pathway to financial stability.
Consumers are already battling high prices and fewer choices when it comes to airline options. Thanks to Biden’s all-knowing antitrust crusaders, their options are poised to narrow even further.
The episode was reminiscent of Khan working with the European Commission to block a merger earlier this year between iRobot and Amazon that led to widespread job losses and offered a gift to foreign competitors.
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Khan’s champions are Trump antagonists
The loudest voices on the Left defending Khan are the same people who continue to denounce the president-elect. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) vowed an “out brawl” against anyone who sought Khan’s removal. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), already claiming the incoming president is “breaking the law,” called Khan a “fearless champion,” while socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) went even further, lauding Khan as the “best FTC Chair in modern history.”
These should not be the people dictating personnel in the incoming administration. On Nov. 5, the public voted for change, not more of the same, especially on economic issues.
Khan is using the FTC as a stepping stone
It’s apparent to even a casual observer that the 35-year-old Khan has ambitions beyond her current job. Her media tour in the weeks leading up to the election was nonstop. She even took the unusual step of hitting the road to appear alongside like-minded progressives such as Sanders, Sen.-elect Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), chairman emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Ever the calculating politician, Khan was careful to keep these events under the guise of “official business” rather than “campaign,” yet House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer (R-KY) has rightfully initiated an inquiry into the FTC’s election season activities. In October of an election year, the distinction was without a difference for all intents and purposes.
Khan has a rabid following, and allowing her to stay in her position enables her to stay on the national stage and spread her misguided ideas. Khan has even echoed national Democrats’ talking points, writing in a Foreign Policy essay that deviation from antitrust ideas will “leave our democracy more brittle.”
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George W. Bush administration Defense Secretary Robert Gates was the last high-profile holdover from one administration to be kept on in the next with a president of a different party. Gates was widely respected by leading figures on both sides of the aisle, and the nation was in the midst of two wars.
Not only is Khan no Gates, but her continued presence would stifle the health of the economy that Trump was elected to turn around. Without new leadership at the FTC, the president-elect’s agenda is at risk.
Scott Brown is the chairman of the Competitiveness Coalition and a former U.S. senator and ambassador.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
