YouTube settles Donald Trump lawsuit over account suspension for $24.5 million
Following the suspension of Donald Trump’s account after the 6 January 2021 capitol riot, US President pursued legal action as part of a broader effort to challenge what he described as unfair treatment by major tech platforms.
YouTube has agreed to a $24.5 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump, stemming from the platform’s decision to suspend his account after the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot.
The lawsuit was part of a broader legal push by Trump against major tech companies over what he calls politically motivated censorship.
As part of the deal, YouTube will donate $22 million to the Trust for the National Mall on Trump’s behalf, funding a new $200 million White House ballroom project. Another $2.5 million will go to co-plaintiffs, including the American Conservative Union and author Naomi Wolf.
The settlement includes no admission of wrongdoing by YouTube and was intended to avoid further legal costs. The move follows similar multimillion-dollar settlements by Meta and X, which also suspended Trump’s accounts post-January 6.
Critics argue the settlement signals a retreat from consistent content moderation. Media scholar Timothy Koskie warned it sets a troubling precedent for global digital governance and selective enforcement.
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