Settlement talks between ticketing giant Live Nation and the U.S. Department of Justice are intensifying internal divisions within the Trump administration over antitrust enforcement, according to an exclusive report by Semafor's Rohan Goswami, Liz Hoffman, and Ben Smith.]
Live Nation executives and lobbyists have engaged in negotiations with senior DOJ officials outside the antitrust division. The goal is to reach a settlement and avoid a trial on allegations that the company maintains an illegal monopoly in the live events industry, contributing to higher concert ticket prices. The case, originally filed in 2024 under the Biden administration (with involvement from 40 states and districts), accuses Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster of anticompetitive practices like exclusive venue contracts and dominance in promotion, ticketing, and venues.
Tensions stem from a broader clash: the Trump administration's generally business-friendly stance and preference for lighter regulation conflict with Slater's tougher approach. This has created friction between more accommodative DOJ officials and those favoring stricter enforcement, diminishing expectations for aggressive antitrust action among both progressive critics and populist MAGA supporters.
A potential DOJ settlement would not automatically resolve parallel state-level claims against Live Nation. The ongoing fractures highlight competing visions within the administration on balancing corporate interests with competition policy in industries like live entertainment.