Despite his campaign vows to block the deal, President-elect Donald Trump could be forced to take a friendlier stance on AT&T’s $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner than he initially laid out, analysts say — potentially disappointing supporters who were hoping for a big showdown with the company.

Regulators at the Justice Department are likely to examine the proposed deal closely no matter what happens. But a constellation of factors, from the makeup of Trump’s transition team to the mundane details of antitrust law, may make it difficult for Trump to oppose the tie-up once he is in office. As a result, one of the earliest decisions to occur on Trump’s watch may be the regulators’ approval of the massive acquisition.

Trump blasted the merger at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania last month. “As an example of the power structure I’m fighting,” he said, “AT&T is buying Time Warner and thus CNN, a deal we will not approve in my administration because it’s too much concentration of power in the hands of too few.”

Full Content: Washington Post

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