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President Trump and Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino spoke in February before the ticketing giant settled its antitrust case with the Department of Justice (DOJ), according to new court documents.
In a filing Monday, the company said Rapino “discussed a variety of topics related to Live Nation’s business” with Trump, noting that “the status of DOJ’s lawsuit against Defendants came up but no substantive terms regarding any potential settlement were discussed.”
Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster reached a settlement with the DOJ one week into trial in early March. The department sued the ticketing companies under the Biden administration for allegedly blocking competition in the live entertainment industry.
As part of the settlement, Live Nation agreed to break off exclusive booking agreements with 13 amphitheaters, open venues to all promoters and allow them to distribute half of the tickets and cap ticketing service fees at 15 percent.
The agreement drew scrutiny from lawmakers, as well as dozens of states that had joined the federal government in the case. More than 30 states opted to continue the trial, and a jury found in April that Live Nation and Ticketmaster held an illegal monopoly over the industry.
Live Nation said at the time that it planned to file additional motions in the case.
“The jury’s verdict is not the last word on this matter. Pending motions will determine whether the liability and damages rulings stand,” it said in a statement, adding, “We remain confident that the ultimate outcome of the States’ case will not be materially different than what is envisioned by the DOJ settlement.”
Monday’s filing offers new details about Live Nation’s communications with the Trump administration leading up to the settlement.
It revealed that the company first began efforts to open settlement negotiations in February 2025. Amid this push, Live Nation and its advisers met with DOJ officials and members of the White House, mainly the office of the White House counsel, according to the filing.
Among those who participated in these discussions were former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway and Richard Grenell, the former Kennedy Center president and Trump’s special missions envoy who joined Live Nation’s board of directors in May 2025.
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