YouTube to pay $24.5 mn to settle Trump lawsuit over Jan 6 account ban

Google-owned YouTube has agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by US President Donald Trump over the platform’s decision in 2021 to suspend his account after the January 6 attack on the Capitol, The Washington Post reported.

As part of the agreement, Trump has directed YouTube to contribute $22 million of the settlement towards the construction of a new White House ballroom. The remaining $2.5 million will be distributed among other plaintiffs who accused YouTube of censoring them. Beneficiaries include author Naomi Wolf and the American Conservative Union, along with other parties involved in the case, according to the Associated Press.

Background of YouTube suspension

YouTube did not specify which rules Trump had broken at the time of his suspension but said the decision was taken “in light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence,” The Washington Post reported. Trump returned to the platform in 2023 after his account was reinstated.

Similar settlements with Meta and X

The deal follows comparable settlements Trump reached earlier this year with Meta and X, which had also suspended his accounts after the January 6 attacks. Meta paid $25 million, while X agreed to a $10 million settlement.

Trump targets entertainment and news companies

Beyond social media, Trump has extracted settlements from major entertainment and news conglomerates. Disney, owner of ABC News, agreed in December to pay $15 million plus $1 million in legal fees to settle a lawsuit alleging defamatory coverage, with the funds earmarked for a “presidential foundation and museum to be established by or for plaintiff.”

In July, Paramount, the parent company of CBS News, agreed to pay $16 million to end a lawsuit over a 2024 campaign interview with then vice-president Kamala Harris, which Trump alleged was deceptively edited and harmed his electoral chances.

Ongoing legal actions against media outlets

Trump has also filed lawsuits against publications including the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times over their coverage, though a judge swiftly dismissed his case against the Times.

Wider campaign against US institutions

The president has widened his legal campaign to target other American institutions, such as universities and law firms, that he believes have acted in ways that displeased him.