YouTube has agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over the suspension of his account in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The settlement, announced on Monday, September 29, 2025, resolves Trump’s 2021 lawsuit against several major social media platforms, including YouTube’s parent company, Alphabet Inc.
The video-sharing platform had suspended Trump’s ability to upload new content following the Capitol riot, citing concerns about incitement to violence.
His account was later reinstated in 2023.
According to court filings, $22 million of the settlement will be directed to the Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit supporting the construction of a new White House State Ballroom, a project Trump has publicly backed.
The remaining $2.5 million will go to other plaintiffs in the case, including the American Conservative Union and author Naomi Wolf.
YouTube did not admit liability as part of the deal, which brings to a close years of litigation over Trump’s suspension.
The platform maintained that its original decision was in line with its policies on preventing violent content.
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The case is part of a broader legal push by Trump against Big Tech companies.
Earlier, Meta settled a related lawsuit for $25 million, while X agreed to pay $10 million.
The lawsuits had accused the companies of violating Trump’s free speech rights by limiting his access to their platforms at a time when he was seeking to connect with supporters and shape political narratives.
Tech firms, however, argued that their actions were consistent with their community standards and responsibility to curb harmful content.
Trump’s lawsuits, though largely unsuccessful in court, have underscored the ongoing debate about the influence of social media platforms on politics, freedom of expression, and accountability in the digital age.