WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump endorsed Nexstar Media Group's $6.2 billion purchase of broadcast rival Tegna on Saturday, an apparent reversal from earlier criticism of the deal.
“We need more competition against THE ENEMY, the Fake News National TV Networks,” Trump wrote on social media. “Letting Good Deals get done like Nexstar — Tegna will help knock out the Fake News because there will be more competition. ... GET THAT DEAL DONE.”
The acquisition, which Nexstar announced in August and requires regulatory approval, would bring together two companies with significant holdings in local broadcast media. Nexstar oversees more than 200 owned and partner stations in 116 markets nationwide and also runs networks like The CW and NewsNation. Meanwhile, Tegna owns 64 news stations across 51 markets.
Trump criticized the purchase in November, saying: “If this would also allow the Radical Left Networks to 'enlarge,' I would not be happy.”
But the companies operate independently of the large broadcast networks such as ABC and NBC. In September, Nexstar, along with the right-leaning Sinclair Broadcast Group, suspended Jimmy Kimmel's ABC late-night talk show for about a week after Kimmel's comments on the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The deal has occurred as the Federal Communications Commission is seeking to reform rules that limit local TV station ownership. Some court decisions have also struck down regulations that limited the number of top TV stations in a single market that one company could own.
Nexstar has sought to portray the deal as consistent with the Trump administration's deregulatory moves.
“The initiatives being pursued by the Trump administration offer local broadcasters the opportunity to expand reach, level the playing field, and compete more effectively with the Big Tech and legacy Big Media companies that have unchecked reach and vast financial resources,” Nexstar CEO Perry Sook said when announcing the deal.
Yet some conservative voices still oppose the deal.
“The Nexstar deal means dangerous consolidation that will limit competition, harm conservative voices and dramatically increase consumer cable bills,” the right-leaning network Newsmax said in a statement. “President Trump was right in November when he called for smaller networks and for keeping TV ownership caps to limit massive broadcast consolidation.”
FILE- In this Oct. 29, 2014, file photo honoree Perry Sook, Chairman, President and CEO of Nexstar Broadcasting Group, attends the 24th Annual Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame Awards at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
MILAN (AP) — All eyes will be on Lindsey Vonn at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Sunday, when the 41-year-old American goes for gold in the women's downhill just nine days after tearing the ACL in her left knee.
Here is a guide of what to look out for on Day 2:
Viewers around the world can watch on official broadcasters, including NBC and streaming on Peacock and NBC Olympics platforms.
Vonn will compete with a large brace covering her injured knee. Her other knee was surgically repaired with a partial titanium replacement in 2024. She crashed during the final World Cup downhill before the Olympics. She said her ACL is “100% gone” but she has completed two training runs ahead of Sunday's race in Cortina.
Vonn has plenty of competition for podium spots. Sofia Goggia is the 2018 Olympic champion who took silver in Beijing four years ago. Goggia had the honor of lighting the cauldron in Cortina to conclude Friday’s opening ceremony.
Germany's Emma Aicher won a World Cup downhill in mid-December at St. Mortiz, Switzerland, just ahead of Vonn. Other contenders include Federica Brignone (Italy), Corinne Suter (Switzerland), Cornelia Huetter (Austria), and Alice Robinson (New Zealand).
The race is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. local time (1030 GMT, 5:30 a.m. ET).
Up at the snow park in Livigno, Ester Ledecka, the dual threat ski and snowboard racer from the Czech Republic, can pull off a feat that Shaun White, Chloe Kim and the rest of the greatest snowboarders have never done.
She’s trying to become the first snowboarder to win three straight Olympic gold medals.
Ledecka will be lining up in the parallel giant slalom, the closest thing to Alpine racing that snowboarding has.
She knows about making history. In 2018, she won the PGS a few days after taking the super-G in Alpine skiing, making her the first (and still only) athlete to win gold in both a ski and snowboard event.
Kim will also have an opportunity for three straight on the halfpipe, but that doesn’t come until next Thursday.
The qualification round starts in the morning and the finals section is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. local time (1200 GMT, 7 a.m. ET).
Madison Chock and Evan Bates had a brilliant free skate Saturday night to give the U.S. a five-point lead over Japan heading into the final day of competition in the figure skating team event.
The men’s, women’s and pairs free skates on Sunday will decide the medals. It begins at 7:30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT, 1:30 p.m. ET).
There are also medal events in biathlon, luge, skiathlon and speedskating.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
FILE -Gold medal winner Ester Ledecka, of the Czech Republic, celebrates after the women's parallel giant slalom at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)
United States' Lindsey Vonn in action during alpine ski women's downhill training, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
United States' Lindsey Vonn smiles during a press conference by the U.S. ski team at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
United States cross country athletes, from left, Novie McCabe, Jessie Diggins, Sammy Smith, Julia Kern, Rosie Brennan and Hayiley Swirlbul pose for photos before a cross country training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
United States' Hayley Scamurra, left, celebrates after scoring her side's fifth goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between United States and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt reacts at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's downhill official training, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Ilia Malinin, of the United States, practices during a figure skating training session ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
