YouTube to pay $24.5 million to settle Trump account suspension lawsuit

Alphabet-owned YouTube has reportedly agreed to a $24.5 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit filed by US President Donald Trump over the suspension of his account following the January 2021 Capitol riots, according to court filings cited in US media reports.

The agreement makes Google the last of the three major tech platforms to settle similar complaints Trump launched in July 2021, accusing them of suppressing conservative voices. Earlier this year, Meta and X reached settlements of around $25 million and $10 million respectively, as per reports.

Under the reported YouTube deal, about $22 million will be directed on Trump’s behalf to the Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit said to be linked to the construction of a planned $200 million ballroom near the White House. The remaining funds will reportedly go to other plaintiffs, including the American Conservative Union and author Naomi Wolf.

Court documents indicate that YouTube has not admitted any wrongdoing and will not be required to alter its policies or products as part of the settlement. Trump’s YouTube channel, which was suspended from uploading content in 2021, was restored in 2023.

Media outlets also noted that the planned 90,000-square-foot event facility is expected to be completed well before the end of Trump’s current four-year term, should he return to office.