YouTube to Pay $22 Million to Trump Following Account Suspension Dispute

YouTube has agreed to pay $22 million to settle a lawsuit filed by former US President Donald Trump over the suspension of his account.

The account suspension followed the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, when Trump supporters clashed violently with law enforcement to block the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.

According to a federal court filing in California, the $22 million settlement will fund Trump’s new White House construction project through a nonprofit organization, the Trust for the National Mall. The nonprofit is focused on restoring and enhancing the National Mall, with the funds earmarked specifically for the White House State Ballroom.

In addition to Trump, YouTube has agreed to pay $2.5 million to several of his allies, including the American Conservative Union.

Trump’s legal team argued that YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc., wrongfully censored him by suspending his account and restricting his ability to post content. The lawsuit claimed the suspension was based on “non-existent or broad, vague and ever-shifting standards.” YouTube blocked Trump from uploading content on January 12, 2021, citing concerns over the potential for further violence. Facebook and Twitter took similar actions at the time.

The settlement has reignited debate over free speech in the US. Legal experts note that the First Amendment limits government action, not the policies of private companies, making Trump’s legal case complex. YouTube has maintained that as a private platform, its editorial decisions do not violate constitutional rights.

Media watchdog Media Matters criticized the settlement, with its president Angelo Carusone saying, “YouTube’s capitulation is shameful and shortsighted. Folding now encourages efforts to stifle dissent and pressures media platforms to comply.”