Singham Addresses Congress on Foreign Antitrust Policies Impacting U.S. Innovation and Employment
On December 16, 2025, Shanker Singham, the Chairman of the Competere Foundation, took center stage in a congressional hearing titled "Anti-American Antitrust: How Foreign Governments Target U.S. Businesses." His critical testimony underscored the significant challenges foreign digital regulations pose to American tech firms, which he claims could damage not only U.S. economic growth but also national security itself.
Singham's central argument was that aggressive antitrust regulations enacted by foreign governments—particularly those inspired by the European Union's Digital Markets Act—are functioning as covert trade barriers. These prohibitive measures, he emphasized, disproportionately impact successful American technology companies, curbing their capacity for innovation while imposing substantial economic costs on the United States.
He illuminated the increasing global competition between the economic models of the U.S. and China, asserting that damaging U.S. tech firms inadvertently strengthens China's market position. Through detailed research conducted by the Competere Foundation, Singham spotlighted South Korea as a particularly illustrative example of the ramifications of such foreign regulations.
According to Competere's findings, Korea's proposed rules on online platforms could result in significant financial losses, potentially costing the Korean economy up to $470 billion over the next decade. Moreover, they could also induce long-term losses exceeding $500 billion for the U.S. economy due to diminished exports and weakened incentives for innovation.
As a remedy to these concerns, Singham urged Congress to recognize discriminatory foreign antitrust and digital regulations as crucial issues pertaining to trade and economic security. He contended that American competition policies should foster consumer welfare and protect innovation rather than penalize market success based on nationality.
In closing, Singham urged U.S. federal agencies to assess and quantify the economic harm induced by these foreign regulatory obstacles. He stated, "Competition policy should protect innovation and open markets—not penalize success or target firms based on nationality." This emphasis on balancing trade and regulatory frameworks echoes broader concerns within the U.S. about maintaining competitiveness in the global economy. Accompanying his oral testimony, Singham submitted an extensive written brief elaborating on these pressing issues, aiming to set a foundation for legislative changes that may better support American technology and innovation.
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, Singham's warnings resonate with the ongoing discussions among policymakers about the dire need for a deliberate approach toward foreign regulatory frameworks. As the competition between the U.S. and its global counterparts intensifies, safeguarding American innovation remains paramount, necessitating vigilant advocacy and strategic policy adjustments at all levels of government.