AT&T's may proceed with its $85 billion purchase of Time Warner, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon ruled [1]Tuesday, opening the door for the creation of a telecom-media giant.
The judge imposed no conditions on the merger.
The ruling is a major blow for the Trump administration, which opposed the deal. The Justice Department sued to block it[2], alleging the takeover would harm competition, increase prices for consumers, and reduce innovation.
In a statement, US Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim said the Justice Department will closely review the ruling and consider its next steps.
"We continue to believe that the pay-TV market will be less competitive and less innovative as a result of the proposed merger between AT&T and Time Warner," he said.
AT&T General Counsel David McAtee said in a statement[3] that AT&T looks forward to closing the merger on or before June 20, "so we can begin to give consumers video entertainment that is more affordable, mobile, and innovative."
The ruling could spur more deals in the fast-consolidating media industry, and it could have an impact on anti-trust rulings in the future.