For decades, states were largely an afterthought on antitrust, often taking their cues from Washington as they followed the lead of federal enforcers. Not anymore. In a pivot that’s quickly recalibrating competition law, jurisdictions from Massachusetts to Oregon are flexing their antitrust muscle with bold initiatives that place them at the forefront of antitrust policy. Statehouses are raising their profile amid signs the antitrust agencies under President Donald Trump are less aggressive on merger enforcement than during the Biden administration. With transactions clearing more quickly and easily in Washington and the Federal Trade Commission's Democrats sidelined by Trump, states are seizing the moment to take the lead, three antitrust lawyers told The Deal. “Under a growing trend, states want to review things for themselves and not just rely on the federal government,” said John Goheen, an Antitrust partner at Goodwin.