Live Nation monopoly prosecution reportedly breaks Trump’s Justice Department

Live Nation executives reportedly bypassed the Justice Department’s antitrust division to negotiate directly with more sympathetic top officials in hopes of avoiding a crisis. Monopoly trial. Citing “people familiar with the matter” traffic lights Reports Some of the talks excluded antitrust chief Gil Slater, who pushed for the trial in March after inheriting the case from the Biden administration.

the The lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice and 30 state and county attorneys general in May 2024, seeking to “break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster,” alleging that Live Nation’s dominance provides unfair business advantages that enable it to unlawfully suppress competition in the live entertainment industry. The Trump administration’s pro-business mentality has been at odds with Slater’s skepticism about large corporate mergers “for months,” according to Business Insider. traffic lightsaffecting expectations for a crackdown on antitrust lawsuits.

A Justice Department spokesperson said: “This report contains misleading information about an ongoing and confidential matter, but what can be said is that AAG Slater is deeply involved” in the Live Nation matter. traffic lights. “Anonymous attempts to change markets or outcomes will not undermine the integrity of this process. This Department of Justice will always seek to do what is in the best interest of the American people.”