Vance Praises Biden-Appointed FTC Chair Khan for Avoiding ‘Woke Ridiculousness’

KENOSHA, Wis. — Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) expressed some praise for Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Lina Khan, praising her for focusing on big tech companies and not using the agency to advance a “woke” agenda.

Vance, who is cast in a more populist mold than Republicans in past elections, made the remarks on the tarmac near his campaign jet in Milwaukee after a campaign event in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday. The vice presidential candidate said earlier that Khan is “one of the few people in the Biden administration who I think is doing a pretty good job.”

Vance’s position is noteworthy because key Republican Party allies in the business world have expressed hope that a Trump victory in the presidential election would remove Khan from power.

In response to a question from Washington ExaminerVance said there were things she did that he liked and things he didn’t like.

“I think one of the things I like is that he is right to be concerned about some of the big tech companies and the concentration of power,” Vance said, adding that he believes he has sometimes been too aggressive with smaller companies, making it harder for them to raise capital.

Khan, 35, is a leader of a movement known as “hipster antitrust,” a school of thought that rejects the consumer welfare standards that have guided decades of U.S. antitrust policy in favor of a much more adversarial approach to corporations that also takes into account other factors such as corporate concentration and income inequality.

Federal agencies in the Biden administration have come under fire from Republicans for pursuing so-called “woke” policies and pushing diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies. He said he likes how the FTC has avoided that under her leadership.

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“So look, she’s not perfect, but what I really like about Lena is that she doesn’t focus on the ridiculous wokeness stuff,” Vance said. “She realizes that her job, whether you agree with it or not, is to work at the FTC, not to be some ridiculous diversity enforcer. I appreciate that.”

Vance traveled from his home state of Ohio to Wisconsin on Tuesday to attend an event on crime and safety where he received the endorsement of the Kenosha Professional Police Association.