Sen. Elizabeth Warren Slams Ticketmaster, Calls Out Trump for Live Nation Settlement as 'Slap on the Wrist'

Senator Elizabeth Warren is calling out the Justice Department and President Donald Trump for their settlement with Live Nation in its antitrust case involving Ticketmaster.

Government lawyers announced the settlement in federal court Monday (March 9) in Manhattan, as the two sides were about to go to trial amid allegations that Live Nation maintained an illegal monopoly in the live event ticketing space.

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The Justice Department previously accused the company of using its power to suppress competition and drive up prices for fans. Live Nation denied the claims, arguing artists and teams ultimately decide on ticket prices and how they’re sold, per WCBV 5.

The settlement deal has already drawn a lot of criticism.

Sen. Warren, who has been a vocal supporter of consumer protections around ticket sales, called out the agreement in a statement on social media.

“BREAKING: Donald Trump just betrayed every fan who’s been exploited by Ticketmaster,” she wrote.

“This fine is less than 1% of Live Nation’s revenue last year AND lets them continue to rip off fans with a 15% ‘Ticketmaster Tax.’ It’s wrong. We need to break up Ticketmaster and Live Nation.”

The statement was in response to More Perfect Union’s tweet: “Instead of taking Live Nation-Ticketmaster to trial, Trump just let them off the hook. The federal government had been building a case for years, and could have broken up the Live Nation-Ticketmaster monopoly. But Trump just let them settle out of court.”

The announcement of a settlement also drew criticism from the judge, who said no one informed him of the tentative deal until late Sunday (March 8), even though a term sheet was reportedly signed days before.

“It’s entirely unacceptable,” he said, per the news outlet.

The Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit in 2024 that accused Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation of illegally monopolizing the live entertainment industry to the detriment of concertgoers and artists alike, and sought to structure how the company operates, including breaking apart the two entities.

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