Trump administration appeals after federal court strikes down Biden-era merger rule

In mid-February, a federal judge struck down a new rule—finalized in 2024—that dramatically expanded the scope of information companies must provide to the FTC at the outset of a proposed merger under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. If the decision stands, it would represent a major rollback of the agency’s increasingly vigorous approach to M&A oversight that began under former FTC Chair Lina Khan.