Trump's Populist Bluster on AT&T Megadeal Appears to Fade as Congress Looks at Merger

WASHINGTON -- When it comes to Donald Trump’s pugnacious populism, the proposed megamerger between AT&T and Time Warner might serve to cut the cord.Nearly two months after Trump said flatly that he would block the $108 billion deal - calling it an “example of the power structure I’m fighting” - the president-elect has taken quiet but persistent steps in the other direction since he won the election.His growing team of advisers on telecom and antitrust issues appears to be merger-friendly, with one recently writing a robust defense of such megadeals. AT&T chief executive Randall Stephenson expressed optimism Tuesday that his company could actually thrive under Trump.And friends and foes of the merger agree that Trump’s moves have not matched his rhetoric.“Every signal we have seen is it’s going to be deregulatory in direction,” said Scott Cleland, chairman of NetCompetition, an advocacy group that counts AT&T and other telecom companies as members.  Continue reading...