Nexstar CEO Thanks Trump as DOJ Approves $3.5 Billion Tegna Deal

Nexstar Media Group CEO Perry Sook publicly thanked President Donald Trump after the U.S. Department of Justice cleared the company’s $3.5 billion acquisition of rival broadcaster Tegna, a move that removes a major federal hurdle for the deal. The Justice Department granted the companies early termination of its antitrust review, Bloomberg News first reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The clearance came just a day after a coalition of eight states filed a lawsuit in federal court in Sacramento, California, seeking to block the merger, which would create the largest broadcast station group in the United States. DirecTV also filed a separate lawsuit late Wednesday aimed at stopping the transaction.

In a statement, posted to X by CNN's Brian Stelter, Sook called the deal “essential to sustaining strong local journalism” and thanked Trump, FCC Chair Brendan Carr and the Justice Department for allowing the transaction to move forward. He said combining the two companies would position Nexstar to deliver stronger local news and programming with expanded assets and talent.

If completed, the acquisition would expand Nexstar’s reach to markets covering about 80% of U.S. television households. The deal still requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission, including a waiver of existing limits on broadcast station ownership.

Carr said last month that he supports the transaction and would move to approve it after Trump publicly backed the merger. The Justice Department had opened an in‑depth probe into the deal last year.

Nexstar, Tegna and the Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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