The Trump administration last month decided to drop the case, which began during the Biden era. The US blindsided the states by announcing the settlement with Live Nation during the trial, forcing the states to take the lead role.
“The Trump administration gave up the fight and just wanted to give these companies immunity,” Arizona AG Chris Mayes said today. “But we kept fighting for every Arizonan who has been overcharged by this illegal monopoly and we won.”
The Trump administration agreed to halt the breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster as part of the settlement. The terms reportedly included changes in trade practices and a civil penalty of up to $280 million for states that chose not to join the agreement. But only six states joined the deal, and they will reportedly receive a total of $18.6 million.
Former Trump official congratulates state AG
The states joining the Trump administration’s agreement are Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma and South Dakota. The lawsuit against Live Nation was continued by the District of Columbia and 33 states: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Connecticut, New York, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Former Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater, who led the US Justice Department’s antitrust division from March 2025 to February 2026, congratulated the states on the victory. Slater was Trump’s nominee who wanted tougher antitrust enforcement, but he resigned after less than a year. News reports said he was forced to leave after disputes with key Trump officials.
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