'Betrayal of every fan in America': Elizabeth Warren blames Trump for inflated Taylor Swift tickets
WASHINGTON, DC: Senator Elizabeth Warren has accused President Donald Trump of allowing Ticketmaster to continue practices that, she says, make concert tickets more expensive.
Warren said in a video statement that the government's choice to settle a federal antitrust case against Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of Ticketmaster, effectively shielded the company from harsher penalties.
Warren slams Trump for rise in concert ticket prices
Warren pointed to the 2010 merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster, which created a dominant player in the live entertainment industry.
The next time you pay more than you should to see your favorite artist, you can thank Donald Trump for that. pic.twitter.com/GeSDrHtOmi
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 12, 2026
“What do Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam and Maggie Rogers have in common? Well, they've all spoken out about Ticketmaster ripping off fans.” she stated.
“But Donald Trump just gave Ticketmaster the equivalent of a corporate pardon,” Warren alleged, adding, “It’s a betrayal of every fan in America.”
Critics have long argued that the merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation, allows the company to dominate a large share of ticket sales for major concert venues, giving it significant control over pricing and fees.
“Back in 2010, Live Nation merged with Ticketmaster and became one giant ticket selling company. Now together, this monopoly controls about 80% of ticket sales for major concert venues,” Warren explained.
Taylor Swift
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 9, 2026
Pearl Jam
Olivia Dean
Zach Bryan
Oasis
The Cure
What do they all have in common?
They've all spoken out about Ticketmaster ripping off fans.
But Trump just gave Ticketmaster the equivalent of a corporate pardon.
It's a betrayal of every fan in America.
“Higher prices, outrageous fees, hours spent in that virtual waiting room, a major headache any time you try to buy concert tickets,” she pointed out.
Fans have long complained about high service charges, fluctuating ticket prices and long virtual waiting rooms when purchasing tickets for popular concerts.
Artists like Taylor Swift and Pearl Jam have criticized this system
Major artists including Swift and Pearl Jam have publicly criticized the system, saying it can make tickets harder and more expensive for fans to obtain.
In 2024, the US Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit alleging that Live Nation used its market dominance to maintain a monopoly in the live event industry.
Government lawyers argued that at minimum the company should be broken up to restore competition in the ticketing market.
Senator Elizabeth Warren criticizes DOJ for settlement
The Justice Department recently settled the case with the company by making it pay fines and introducing some changes to how it does business.
Warren didn't like the deal because she thought it let Live Nation and Ticketmaster keep doing business as usual.
“Just this week, the Department of Justice ended its lawsuit against Live Nation Ticketmaster by settling,” she shared, adding, "So, what does that mean for you? Spoiler alert: Nothing good!"
Warren also talked about how the company gave money to political campaigns, including a reported donation to Trump's inauguration fund last year.
She said that the settlement was a small amount of money compared to the company's total revenue.
“But for now, every time you pay more than you should just to see your favorite artists, you can thank Donald Trump for that.”
For now, Warren said, fans frustrated by high ticket prices should understand how federal policy decisions affect the ticketing industry.
