The Adam Friedland Show LINA KHAN Talks FTC, Monopolies, Biden
4 snips
Nov 12, 2025 
Lina Khan, a leading antitrust expert and former FTC Chair, dives into her groundbreaking work against monopolies. She shares insights on the historical shifts in antitrust enforcement, emphasizing the need to focus on structural power rather than just prices. Khan discusses notable cases, including actions against Amazon and Meta, and highlights the challenges her agency faced, such as lobbying pressures and funding constraints. With a vision for a fairer economy, she stresses the importance of equal enforcement and ambitious policy reform.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
FTC Used Undercover Investigators
- Lina Khan described investigators at the FTC who sometimes went undercover and carried badges during enforcement work.
- She used that example to illustrate the agency's fact-finding and enforcement capabilities.
Student Reporter Sparks NYT Coverage
- Khan recounted a high-school story where Starbucks banned students from sitting despite purchases and she reported it in the school paper.
- That story drew broader attention and was later cited by the New York Times.
Economic Concentration Enables Political Power
- Khan noted historians and postwar studies linked economic consolidation to concentrated political power.
- She warned concentrated corporate power can facilitate authoritarian outcomes if left unchecked.
