Trump Settles Lawsuit with YouTube for $24.5 Million: Funds to Support Presidential Library and Ballroom Project
YouTube recently settled a lawsuit with former President Trump, agreeing to pay $24.5 million after his account was banned following the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol. This settlement adds to the over $90 million Trump has received from media and tech companies in the past year. Some of the funds will be used for renovations to a presidential library Trump is building in Miami, while others will go to the Trust for the National Mall for a Mar-a-Lago-style ballroom project. The settlement does not require YouTube to admit any wrongdoing or make policy changes. Trump will receive $22 million from the settlement, with an additional $2.5 million going to other plaintiffs in the case.
YouTube suspended Trump's account after the Capitol attack, citing concerns about violence and policy violations. Trump filed a lawsuit in 2021, claiming censorship, which was settled recently. Alphabet, YouTube's parent company, did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement. The $24.5 million settlement includes $22 million for Trump and $2.5 million for other plaintiffs. The funds will support the Trust for the National Mall and the construction of the White House State Ballroom.
Facebook (now Meta) and Twitter (now X) also suspended Trump's accounts after the Capitol attack. Trump sued both companies for censorship, with Meta reinstating his accounts in 2023 and X in 2022. Meta paid Trump $25 million to settle the lawsuit in January 2025, while X paid $10 million. Paramount Global paid $16 million to resolve Trump's lawsuit against "60 Minutes" over an edited interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. CBS denied the claims, and the settlement included the release of interview transcripts.
ABC News settled a defamation lawsuit with Trump after anchor George Stephanopoulos made comments about Trump's liability for rape. The settlement included a $15 million contribution to Trump's presidential library and $1 million for legal fees. An editor's note expressing regret for Stephanopoulos' comments was also posted on the ABC News website.