Trump DOJ Gears Up to Fight AT&T and Time Warner Merger

AT&T, the nation’s second largest wireless company, has been trying to buy the entertainment giant Time Warner for nearly a year and a half. The deal, valued at $85 billion, would create a colossal media and internet company.

But in November of last year, the Justice Department under President Trump sued to stop the merger, bringing an antitrust lawsuit that claims the deal would stifle competition. Trump himself has been vocally critical of the merger, saying when he was a candidate that he would not approve the deal "because it's too much concentration of power in the hands of too few."

Now, a judge is set to hear arguments in the trial beginning next week. What does the case mean for consumers? And what could it mean for future large mergers? This week on Money Talking, Charlie Herman speaks with Rana Foroohar, columnist for the Financial Times, and CNN media andbusiness reporter Hadas Gold.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated. The trial had been scheduled to start on Monday, March 19, 2018. The judge overseeing the case announced it will begin two days later. 

The Department of Justice under President Trump is fighting the $85 billion deal with a lawsuit citing threats to competition and higher prices. The trial is set to begin next week.