On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order (“EO”) 14156 declaring a national energy emergency under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq.). Citing inadequate domestic energy production as a national security and economic threat, the EO directs federal agencies to invoke emergency powers to expedite regulatory approvals and accelerate energy infrastructure development and production. This reflects a significant shift in federal energy policy, elevating the role of domestic fossil fuel development in achieving U.S. energy independence.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s new premerger notification form under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act went into effect on February 10, 2025, despite pending challenges by business groups. Accordingly, parties to transactions meeting certain jurisdictional thresholds are required to submit HSR filings using the new form to the FTC and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ).