US Court Filing Reveals Trump Contacted Live Nation CEO Ahead of DOJ Ticketmaster Settlement

A court filing has revealed that President Donald Trump personally spoke with Michael Rapino , the chief executive of Live Nation Entertainment , weeks before the US Department of Justice unexpectedly settled its long running antitrust lawsuit against the company and its Ticketmaster subsidiary. The disclosure has triggered fresh questions about White House involvement in a major competition case.

According to the filing, Trump and Rapino discussed various aspects of Live Nation's business in February 2026. Lawyers for the company stated that the status of the antitrust lawsuit was mentioned, but no substantive settlement terms were discussed. The filing also disclosed that lawyers from the White House Counsel's Office participated in meetings and communications between Live Nation and the Justice Department before the settlement was reached.

The Justice Department announced the settlement in March, just days after trial proceedings had begun. However, a bipartisan coalition of more than two dozen states refused to join the agreement, arguing that it failed to address the company's alleged monopoly over ticket sales, concert venues and artist promotion.

The state-led case continued, and a New York jury later concluded that Live Nation operated as a monopoly. Jurors found that Ticketmaster's anticompetitive conduct caused consumers in 22 states to pay an average of USD 1.72 more per ticket , potentially exposing the company to significant repayment orders.

The federal settlement allowed Live Nation to retain Ticketmaster while introducing measures such as fee caps at certain venues, expanded access for rival ticketing platforms, and the divestment of control over several amphitheaters. Critics, including state attorneys general, argued that the agreement stopped short of dismantling the company's market dominance.

The White House declined to comment on the filing, while the Justice Department had not publicly responded as of Thursday. The disclosure comes amid broader debate over the independence of federal law enforcement agencies and their relationship with the White House.