YouTube has agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump after the platform suspended his account after January 6 attack on the U.S Capital.
Of the payout, $22 million will go toward a project to build a new White House ballroom, while $2.5 million will be distributed to groups that supported the lawsuit, including the American Conservative Union.
This settlement mirrors earlier deals with other tech companies. Meta reached a $25 million agreement earlier this year, while X (formerly Twitter), now owned by Elon Musk, agreed to pay $10 million. Trump’s accounts on all major social media platforms have since been restored.
The lawsuits stemmed from Trump’s claims that tech companies deliberately censored conservatives. At the time, the platforms defended their actions, saying his posts risked encouraging further violence.
Since then, the tech giants have eased their approach. CEOs from Alphabet, Meta, and X were present at Trump’s recent inauguration, signaling a warming of ties.
YouTube also confirmed it is reinstating several accounts previously banned for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and the 2020 election.
