Media deals become President Trump's political targets — again

President Donald Trump continues to comment on antitrust matters related to media companies he doesn't like, and experts worry the resulting political fray could hinder the Justice Department's ability to independently evaluate mergers. Media companies looking to merge amid an already difficult economic climate now have to consider this reality as a part of their business decisions. 

Consumer groups are raising red flags about both the AT&T/Time Warner merger that was approved this summer (after the Justice Department tried to block it) and the Comcast/NBCUniversal merger that was approved in 2011 during the Obama administration. Recently, the American Cable Association asked the DOJ to investigate Comcast/NBCU for antitrust violations. President Trump tweeted about the letter Nov 12, saying, "American Cable Association has big problems with Comcast. They say that Comcast routinely violates Antitrust Laws. 'These guys are acting much worse, and have much more potential for damage to consumers, than anything AT&T-Time Warner would do.' Charlie Gasparino"

"There is a strong basis for enforcing these laws regardless of the White House's statements, but those statements in no way help the DOJ do its job effectively," says Gene Kimmelman, president and CEO of Public Knowledge.