States Are Stepping Up as the New Antitrust Enforcers NYT - Business By: Tamzin Booth 17 October 2026 at 12:00 With the Trump administration taking a relaxed approach, attorneys general around the country have ramped up their scrutiny of mergers. Β© Vincent Alban/The New York TimesβWhen the federal administration has stepped back from enforcing our antitrust laws, state attorneys general have stepped up,β Letitia James, attorney general of New York, told DealBook.