YouTube Settles with Trump for $24.5M Over 2021 Account Suspension

YouTube, owned by Alphabet, has agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by former President Donald Trump, who claimed the platform unfairly suspended his account after the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack. 

Under the agreement, $22 million goes to the Trust for the National Mall to help fund Trump’s proposed White House ballroom. The remaining $2.5 million is allocated to other plaintiffs, including the American Conservative Union and author Naomi Wolf. 

YouTube did not admit wrongdoing and said it will not alter its policies or products as part of the deal.  The settlement marks YouTube as the final major platform to resolve a 2021 case, following Meta’s $25 million and Twitter’s (now X) $10 million payouts. 

Trump’s account reinstatement in 2023 meant he regained posting privileges. The wider context: the payout comes amid rising tensions between tech platforms and political figures over content moderation and free speech.