Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting Ticket Scalping and Price Increases
On Monday, President Donald Trump, alongside American musician Kid Rock, signed an executive order aimed at curbing ticket scalping and excessive pricing in the live event industry. The initiative intends to combat the practices of “unscrupulous middlemen” who benefit from reselling tickets for concerts and other events at significantly inflated prices.
The directive mandates that both the U.S. Attorney General and the Treasury Secretary employ “all legal means” necessary to eliminate rampant price gouging. Additionally, it calls on the Federal Trade Commission to enforce price transparency throughout the ticket purchasing process, especially concerning the secondary ticket market.
Kid Rock, who was dressed in a straw fedora and a striking red suit adorned with the American flag, shared his perspective during the announcement. He highlighted concerns over ticket prices, stating, “You can buy a ticket for $100. By the time you check out, it’s $170.” He also noted the issue of automated bots that are relisting tickets at extraordinary markups, sometimes reaching as high as 400-500 percent.
The previous administration, led by Joe Biden, had similarly focused on the scalping issue, filing a lawsuit against the concert booking platform Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, last year, citing monopoly concerns.
In response to Trump’s executive order, Live Nation— which has denied any allegations of monopolistic practices—issued a statement expressing its support for the directive and emphasized the need for enforcement of these new measures.
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