The head of the US Department of Justice’s antitrust division, Gail Slater, has stepped down amid reports of internal clashes over the agency’s direction. including its high-profile review of Netflix’s proposed US$82.7 billion (A$127 billion) acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Slater announced her departure in a post on X, writing: “It is with great sadness and abiding hope that I leave my role as AAG for Antitrust today. It was indeed the honor of a lifetime to serve in this role.”

While Slater framed the move as a resignation, media outlets including The Guardian and CBS News report she was forced out after losing the confidence of Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Slater, a former Fox Corp and Roku executive and onetime adviser to US Vice President JD Vance, had served in the role for 11 months. She was overseeing the DOJ’s scrutiny of Netflix’s blockbuster bid for Warner Bros. Discovery – a deal that would combine Netflix with HBO Max and one of Hollywood’s largest content libraries.

The merger has triggered antitrust investigations and Senate Judiciary Committee hearings in the US, with regulators examining its potential impact on streaming competition, pricing, licensing and consumer choice.

Concerns have also been raised on Capitol Hill about increasing concentration across both streaming platforms and TV production.

Tensions between Slater and Bondi reportedly date back to last year, when Slater sought to block Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s acquisition of Juniper Networks over fears it would create a duopoly in parts of the cloud and networking markets. The Trump administration ultimately approved that deal with conditions.

The leadership shake-up comes at a critical juncture for the Netflix–Warner review, which has also drawn political scrutiny over lobbying efforts tied to the transaction.

For Australia’s media and tech sectors, the outcome could have ripple effects.

The DOJ has not yet announced Slater’s replacement.