Flat Funding for Justice Dept. Antitrust Division in Budget Proposal

The White House proposed a $1.1 billion cut in funding for the Justice Department in President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2018 budget, but the antitrust division won’t see any of those reductions.

The first major budget proposal of the Trump administration, released today, requests $27.7 billion for the Justice Department, a 3.8 percent decrease from the department’s current funding level. The White House proposed that the antitrust division remain at its current level of funding, at just under $165 million.

The DOJ’s antitrust division is of particular interest to Wall Street because its officials review major mergers, and the agency can sue to block them if the proposed tie-ups show a substantial ...