Squawk Pod An FDA Resignation & An M&A Outlook with Makan Delrahim 3/31/25
Mar 31, 2025
Makan Delrahim, former antitrust assistant attorney general, shares insights on the future of mergers and acquisitions under Trump's administration, emphasizing the cautious strategies businesses are adopting amid regulatory scrutiny. Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner, discusses the resignation of the FDA's top vaccine official amid rising anti-vaccine sentiments and the U.S. measles outbreak. They highlight the urgent need to restore public trust in health systems and examine the complex interplay between politics and market dynamics.
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M&A Pipeline Slowdown
- Deal volume hasn't materialized as expected, possibly due to tariff uncertainty.
- Macon Delrahim discusses the current M&A landscape and the impact of tariffs.
No Antitrust Holiday
- Companies thought there'd be an antitrust holiday under the second Trump administration.
- Both Lina Khan (FTC) and Jonathan Kanter (DOJ) have signaled vigorous antitrust enforcement.
Consolidating Antitrust Agencies
- Delrahim suggests moving the FTC's antitrust functions to the DOJ for efficiency.
- He believes consolidating antitrust agencies would create synergies, similar to mergers.