Tech Giants Pay Millions to End Trump Lawsuits

Tech giants YouTube, Meta, and X (formerly Twitter) have agreed to multimillion-dollar settlements to resolve lawsuits brought by President Donald Trump after they suspended his accounts following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. These settlements have brought closure to an extended legal battle over allegations of political censorship and the companies’ content moderation policies.nytimes+5

President Trump’s lawsuits against YouTube, Meta, and X stemmed from their suspension of his social media accounts in early 2021, citing risks of incitement to violence after the Capitol insurrection. Trump’s legal team argued that the companies engaged in impermissible censorship and called into question the reach of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.aljazeera+3

In September 2025, YouTube agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle the case, with $22 million going to Trump for nonprofit and presidential legacy projects, notably contributing to a ballroom construction initiative at the White House and the Trust for the National Mall. The remaining $2.5 million was divided among other plaintiffs, including Naomi Wolf and the American Conservative Union.euronews+5

Meta reached an earlier settlement of $25 million in January 2025, with the majority of funds directed toward Trump’s presidential library initiative and legal fees. X, under Elon Musk’s control, paid roughly $10 million in February 2025, though details of the fund’s use remain privately negotiated. None of the settlements included admissions of liability by the companies.reuters+3

Trump’s legal strategy sought to challenge the platforms’ decisions as a form of viewpoint discrimination, which federal courts previously found unpersuasive for private companies acting within their policies. Yet, these settlements were struck in the wake of Trump’s successful reelection in 2024, shifting the tone of negotiations and leading to closure on the litigation.variety+2

Sources and Further Reading

• The New York Times: "YouTube Settles Trump Lawsuit Over Account Suspension"nytimes

• Al Jazeera: "YouTube to pay $24.5m to settle lawsuit over Trump's account suspension"aljazeera

• CNN: "YouTube to pay $24.5 million to settle Trump lawsuit"cnn

• NBC News: "YouTube to pay $24 million to settle Trump lawsuit"nbcnews

• Reuters: "YouTube to pay $24.5 million to settle Trump account suspension suit"reuters

• Euronews: "YouTube to pay €21 million to settle lawsuit with Trump"euronews

• Variety: "Trump Posts Meme Celebrating YouTube $24.5 Million Settlement"variety

These settlements mark the end of one of the highest-profile legal battles over platform moderation and political speech in the U.S., underscoring the evolving relationship between tech companies and elected officials.cnn+6