Live Nation CEO Spoke With Trump Before Surprise Antitrust Settlement
6 verified3 unconfirmed
Live Nation has disclosed that its CEO, Michael Rapino, spoke with President Donald Trump in February 2026 as the company negotiated a potential settlement of the government’s antitrust lawsuit. The communications were revealed in a court filing made on Monday, which also detailed numerous meetings and calls between Live Nation representatives, the Department of Justice, and the White House Counsel’s office from February 2025 to June 2026. The filing states that the status of the lawsuit came up during the Rapino-Trump conversation but that no substantive settlement terms were discussed. The antitrust suit was originally filed in May 2024 under the Biden administration, alleging illegal monopoly power in the live concert and ticketing markets. In March 2026, the DOJ reached a surprise settlement with Live Nation, while more than 30 states continued the case and later won a jury verdict against the company. Live Nation and Ticketmaster now await a court decision on potential remedies.
What’s verified
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino spoke with President Donald Trump in February 2026 about the company’s business, and the status of the DOJ antitrust lawsuit came up but no substantive settlement terms were discussed.
Live Nation disclosed communications with the DOJ and the Office of the White House Counsel between February 2025 and June 2026 related to a potential settlement.
The government’s antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation was originally filed in May 2024.
A surprise settlement between the DOJ and Live Nation was reached in March 2026.
A jury in April 2026 found that Live Nation and Ticketmaster illegally held monopoly power in the ticketing market.
The court filing was made on Monday, June 22, 2026.
Not yet confirmed
Only one source reported that DOJ assistant attorney general Gail Slater stepped down from her post in February 2026.
Only one source reported that Live Nation’s representatives in settlement discussions included Kellyanne Conway and Mike Davis.
Only one source reported that Senator Amy Klobuchar criticized the settlement, and that Rapino issued a statement calling the deal a positive step for concert experiences.
Key figures
Michael Rapino – President and CEO of Live Nation
President Donald Trump
Joe Berchtold – Live Nation president and CFO
Dan Wall – Live Nation executive vice president of corporate and regulatory affairs
Richard Grenell – Live Nation board member and former interim director of the Kennedy Center
Gail Slater – former DOJ assistant attorney general (mentioned in one source)
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter
