The U.S. antitrust laws represent the legal embodiment of our nation's commitment to competition and the competitive process. They “rest[] on the premise that the unrestrained interaction of competitive forces will yield the best allocation of our economic resources, the lowest prices, the highest quality, and the greatest material progress, while at the same time providing an environment conductive to the preservation of our democratic political and social institutions.” Northern Pacific R. Co. v. United States, 356 U.S. 1, 4 (1958).

The Antitrust Division’s mission is to promote economic competition through enforcing and providing guidance on antitrust laws and principles.

[updated April 2022]