YouTube agrees to pay $24 million settlement in Trump lawsuit over suspension

YouTube on Monday agreed to pay a $24.5 million settlement to President Donald Trump that ends a 2021 lawsuit over company's decision to suspend Trump's account after the January 6 riot.

The company suspended Trump's account after the 2021 riot but restored it in 2023, citing Trump's presidential bid in order to give voters complete access to his campaign. Meta also announced in 2023 that it was restoring Trump's accounts on Facebook and Instagram. 

YouTube is now the final Big Tech company to settle the trio of lawsuits Trump filed against social-media platforms over account suspensions. Meta settled its lawsuit in January and agreed to pay Trump $25 million. X agreed to settle the other in February for $10 million, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The settlement is split into two parts. The majority of the $24.5 million settlement will go to Trump through the nonprofit Trust for the National Mall and the funds have been earmarked for the construction of the new White House ballroom. The other $2.5 million will go to the other plaintiffs in the case.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.