FTC Chair Lina Khan Isn’t Scared of Billionaire Bullies
Billionaire donors are pressuring Kamala Harris to fire Lina Khan, whose term as FTC chair has seen aggressive antitrust actions against tech giants. David Sirota interviewed Khan about her anti-monopoly agenda and the corporate efforts to shut it down.

Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission, testifies before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on May 15, 2024, in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images)
On Wednesday, billionaire tech tycoon and Democratic donor Reid Hoffman called on Vice President Kamala Harris, if she becomes president, to oust Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chair Lina Khan, who’s taken an aggressive approach to enforcing antitrust laws — and is currently scrutinizing a merger involving two of Hoffman’s companies. On Friday, another media tycoon called Khan “a dope.” Meanwhile, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Harris herself has remained silent on the issue.
What does Khan think about all this? And what would an administrative shake-up — by way of former president Donald Trump’s reelection or Harris’s potential staffing changes — mean for antitrust enforcement, consumer protection, and monopoly power in the United States? David Sirota spoke with Khan to learn her thoughts.
David Sirota
What are things that you haven’t been able to do yet that you want to do?
Lina Khan