( June 23, 2025, 21:11 GMT | Official Statement) -- MLex Summary: The American Economic Liberties Project said the US Federal Trade Commission's decision to allow Omnicom's $13.5 billion acquisition of Interpublic Group to proceed with a behavioral remedy, greenlights the creation of the world’s largest advertising agency with no meaningful divestitures. "The guiding principle of Andrew Ferguson as FTC Chair seems to be ‘we'll let you amass power illegally, just don't use it to be mean to us and our friends,’ " said Matt Stoller, research director at the American Economic Liberties Project. Statement follows in full. For Immediate Release: June 23, 2025 Press Contact: Jimmy Wyderko, jwyderko@economicliberties.us The FTC is Now Abusing Merger Policy to Funnel Money to Elon Musk Washington, D.C. — Today, the Federal Trade Commission announced a settlement that would clear the path for Omnicom Group's $13.5 billion acquisition of rival Interpublic Group (IPG) — with the core requirement that the combined company must not bar ad spending to certain platforms based on political leanings. CNBC’s Jim Cramer called the deal “so monopolistic and anti-competitive I can’t even believe it.” In response to the FTC's decision, the American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement. “The guiding principle of Andrew Ferguson as FTC Chair seems to be ‘we'll let you amass power illegally, just don't use it to be mean to us and our friends,’" said Matt Stoller, Research Director at the American Economic Liberties Project. “This settlement greenlights the creation of the world’s largest advertising agency with no meaningful divestitures, no safeguards for the thousands of workers about to be laid off, and no remedies to protect competition in the broader ad market. Instead, the Trump FTC has approved a merger they themselves admit is illegal on the likely condition that the merged firm effectively funnel money directly to Elon Musk and X — which has been openly extorting advertisers. This choice reflects lawlessness, and a pattern of blatant abuse of the FTC’s authority to improve the political fortunes of big business Republicans and Big Tech.” The $13 billion merger would combine the third-largest and fourth-largest bulk buyers of ad inventory, creating world’s largest advertising holding company. Omnicom controls over 1,500 agencies and 77,000 employees, while IPG similarly oversees hundreds of agencies and 57,000 employees. The combined entity would employ over 130,000 workers, many of whom would face immediate layoffs as the companies promise $750 million in short-term “efficiencies.” In anticipation of the deal, Omnicom has already cut close to 3,000 roles. The combined entity would count as clients brands such as Geico, Taco Bell, Apple, McDonalds, Procter & Gamble, Pepsi, as well as other large businesses, elevating the likelihood of lost competition between brands who delegate competitive decisions to the combined entity. Learn more about Economic Liberties here. ### The American Economic Liberties Project works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. Economic Liberties believes true economic liberty means entrepreneurs and businesses large and small succeed on the merits of their ideas and hard work; commerce empowers consumers, workers, farmers, and engineers instead of subjecting them to discrimination and abuse from financiers and monopolists; foreign trade arrangements support domestic security and democracy; and wealth is broadly distributed to support equitable political power. ...