Biden’s Antitrust Push Across Agencies Is Working to Block Deals

The Biden administration’s strategy of leaning on industry regulators to block deals that might be tricky for the Justice Department to challenge in court is working.

In the past month alone, telecom and airline regulators have moved to nix Standard General LP’s deal to buy broadcaster Tegna Inc. and JetBlue Airways Corp.’s acquisition of Spirit Airlines Inc.

JetBlue and Spirit airplanes at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Photographer: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg

Meanwhile, federal railroad officials on Wednesday imposed conditions on Canadian Pacific Railways Ltd.’s $27 billion takeover of Kansas City Southern – falling short of the Justice Department’s push to block the deal, but taking what they said were ...