Return Of The Remedy: First FTC Merger Settlement Under Second Trump Administration In Synopsys/Ansys

On May 28, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) signaled a shift in policy from the Biden administration and a return to accepting remedies to resolve competitive concerns when it approved the $35 billion merger between Synopsys, Inc. (Synopsys) and Ansys, Inc. (Ansys) subject to the divestiture of certain assets. This is the first settlement of a merger-enforcement action by either antitrust agency under the second Trump administration and stands in contrast to the Biden administration's policies disfavoring antitrust remedies. Chairman Ferguson also issued a Statement¹ (joined by the two other Commissioners) outlining how the FTC will approach merger remedies during his time as Chair, and previewing the forthcoming publication of a more comprehensive merger remedies policy statement. Notably, the DOJ announced its first divestiture settlement concerning another merger on June 2.²