Live Nation disclosed that President Donald Trump spoke with CEO Michael Rapino about the Justice Department’s antitrust lawsuit in February, as negotiations unfolded ahead of a sudden March settlement. The timing is drawing renewed attention as the case has a
New York (MISRYOUM) — In the weeks before the Justice Department abruptly settled its long-running antitrust fight with Live Nation, President Donald Trump spoke directly with the company’s chief executive, Michael Rapino, according to a court filing made public by Live Nation.
The disclosure lands at a moment when the government has faced public scrutiny over whether its independence has been undermined by oversight or interference from the White House and the president. The White House declined to comment on Live Nation’s disclosure. directing questions to the Justice Department. which did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
Live Nation’s lawyers told the court that Trump and Rapino discussed the antitrust lawsuit in February but did not cover “substantive terms” of any potential settlement. They also said White House lawyers were involved in some of the numerous interactions between the company and the Justice Department during February and March. including in-person meetings. videoconferences. telephone calls. and written communications.
The March settlement arrived early in the trial. Just days into it, the Justice Department announced a deal that most states refused to join. State officials said the settlement did not go far enough to curb the company’s dominance over concert venues and ticketing for live events.
The trial nonetheless continued. Several weeks later, a jury concluded that the company was a monopoly that harmed concertgoers and sports fans.
The New York jury’s finding carried a specific price tag: Ticketmaster’s anticompetitive practices led people in 22 states to pay an extra $1.72 per ticket. The judge, under the trial’s outcome, could order the companies to pay back that amount.
State attorneys general who sued Live Nation said the verdict could potentially drive ticket prices down for music fans.
The federal settlement the Justice Department reached had its own limits and features. It included a cap on service fees at some amphitheaters, along with some new ticket-selling options for promoters and venues. Those changes could, but do not require, promoters and venues to open doors to competitors such as SeatGeek or AXS.
While the Justice Department’s settlement narrowed the fight early, the court dispute did not end with the verdict. In April, Live Nation said in a statement that the verdict “is not the last word on this matter.”
The sequence—Trump’s February discussion with Rapino. White House lawyers’ involvement in parts of the government’s communications. and then the Justice Department’s settlement shortly after the trial began—has now become part of the record the public will weigh as questions persist about who influenced what. and when.
Live Nation Ticketmaster antitrust lawsuit Department of Justice Michael Rapino Donald Trump settlement service fees SeatGeek AXS refunds monopoly verdict Ticketmaster anticompetitive practices