March 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice has

unconditionally cleared Nexstar's $3.5 billion deal to

acquire rival Tegna ( TGNA ), Bloomberg News reported on

Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The report comes a day after a group of eight states filed a

suit in the U.S. District Court in Sacramento, California, to

block the merger that would make the combined entity the largest

U.S. broadcast station group.

Streaming and satellite TV provider DirecTV also filed a

separate suit, seeking to prevent the deal, late on Wednesday.

The Justice Department has granted the companies what is

known as early termination, meaning it has closed its review of

the deal, the Bloomberg report said.

Acquiring Tegna ( TGNA ) would expand Nexstar's presence covering 80%

of TV households across key geographies and would require the

Federal Communications Commission to lift the cap on station

ownership.

Nexstar, Tegna ( TGNA ) and the DOJ did not immediately respond to

Reuters' requests for comment.

Last month, FCC Chair Brendan Carr said he supported the

deal and would be moving forward to approve it after President

Donald Trump publicly backed the merger.

The DOJ initiated an in-depth probe into the acquisition

last year.