Tech Platforms and a High‑Profile Settlement

On September 29, 2025, YouTube agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Donald J. Trump. The suit was filed after his account was suspended following the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The payment resolves one of several lawsuits Trump lodged in 2021 against major social media platforms.

Of the total, $22 million will be contributed to the Trust for the National Mall to support construction of a White House State Ballroom, while $2.5 million will be divided among other plaintiffs, including the American Conservative Union and author Naomi Wolf. The company did not admit wrongdoing, and its policies will not be changed. The disclosure was filed in federal court shortly before an October 6 hearing. Trump's YouTube account was reinstated in 2023, and earlier in 2025 Meta and X reached settlements of about $25 million and $10 million respectively. Legal experts had questioned the strength of the claims, although the cases were resolved by payment rather than trial.