Washington, 30 September (H.S.): Alphabet-owned YouTube has agreed to a $24.5 million settlement resolving a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump regarding the suspension of his YouTube account following the January 2021 Capitol riots. The lawsuit accused YouTube of unlawfully silencing conservative viewpoints. This settlement finalizes legal actions against the major tech companies, following earlier agreements by Twitter (now X) and Facebook owner Meta.
Under the terms, $22 million will be paid on President Trump’s behalf to the Trust for the National Mall, aimed at funding a $200 million presidential library ballroom at the White House, expected to be completed well before his current term ends in January 2029.
The remainder of the settlement will be distributed among other plaintiffs, including the American Conservative Union and author Naomi Wolf.YouTube did not admit to any wrongdoing, and the settlement does not mandate any changes to company policies or products. Trump’s account suspension involved a temporary halt on uploading new videos, with full privileges restored in 2023. Similar settlements saw Meta pay about $25 million and X pay $10 million earlier this year, with funds earmarked for Trump’s upcoming presidential library in Miami.
Alphabet’s YouTube has agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump over the suspension of his account following the January 2021 US Capitol riots. The lawsuit claimed YouTube unlawfully silenced conservative viewpoints.
Under the settlement, $22 million will be donated to the Trust for the National Mall to support a $200 million presidential library ballroom at the White House, set to be completed before Trump’s term ends in January 2029. The remaining funds will be distributed among other plaintiffs, including the American Conservative Union and author Naomi Wolf.
YouTube did not admit wrongdoing, and no policy changes are required. Trump’s account was suspended from uploading videos but was restored in 2023. Similar settlements were reached earlier with Twitter (now X) and Facebook’s Meta, which paid $10 million and $25 million respectively, also supporting Trump’s presidential library projects.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
