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YouTube has agreed to pay $22 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump after the platform suspended his account following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, according to court documents filed Monday.
The video platform, owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, is the latest major tech firm to settle with Trump after he challenged his widespread deplatforming in legal actions post-January 6.
The $22 million will be directed toward Trump’s newest construction project at the White House through a nonprofit organization called Trust for the National Mall. The funds will help restore, preserve, and enhance the National Mall, including supporting the building of the White House State Ballroom, as noted in a settlement document in a California federal court.
In addition to the $22 million, YouTube committed to paying $2.5 million to several of Trump’s associates, including the American Conservative Union.
Following the events of January 6, major social media platforms removed Trump over concerns that he could incite further violence with false claims that election fraud led to his loss in 2020. YouTube disabled his ability to upload new videos on January 12, citing “ongoing concerns about the potential for violence.” This action coincided with Facebook and Twitter suspending Trump’s account.
Trump, now 79, sued the social media giants and YouTube, arguing that he was wrongfully censored. His legal team claimed he was removed under vague and changing standards, according to a July 2021 complaint against YouTube and CEO Sundar Pichai.
His restrictions came after more than 140 police officers were injured during hours of clashes with rioters armed with flags, baseball bats, hockey sticks, Tasers, and bear spray, all attempting to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
Legal experts have questioned Trump’s allegations of free speech violations, highlighting that the First Amendment restricts government action, not private companies. YouTube responded in December 2021 that it is a private entity exercising editorial discretion, which does not infringe on the First Amendment rights of users.
Media Watchdog Media Matters criticized the settlement, warning it could keep looming First Amendment issues alive under Trump’s influence. Angelo Carusone, president of Media Matters, said, “YouTube’s decision to settle is shameful and shortsighted. It only emboldens Trump’s efforts to suppress dissent by intimidating online platforms and media outlets.”
Since Trump’s return to office, many tech and media companies have agreed to settlements in various legal disputes, waiting on federal policy decisions that could significantly impact their operations.
Among ongoing legal matters, YouTube and Google face a trial in Virginia over a request by federal officials to break up the ad tech business of the search engine giant. In February, Elon Musk’s X settled a Trump-related lawsuit for about $10 million, and in January, Meta paid $25 million to settle a case, with most funds allocated to building Trump’s future presidential library.
Media firms have also entered into questionable legal settlements involving Trump. For instance, Paramount paid $16 million to resolve a suit over a 2020 interview with Vice President Kamala Harris that Trump claimed was unfairly edited. The deal was part of the company’s approval process for its acquisition by Skydance, which was approved by the FCC in July for an $8 billion deal.
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