Washington: YouTube settlement with Trump has concluded a high-profile lawsuit over the suspension of his channel in 2021, marking another multimillion-dollar payout from a major technology company.
The platform, owned by Google, has paid $24.5 million (£20.3 million) to settle the case, which was dismissed following the agreement. Trump had alleged that YouTube and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai had exercised excessive power over public discourse by removing his channel, while YouTube maintained that the suspension was based on policy violations against incitement of violence.
The settlement follows other agreements reached this year between Trump and social media firms. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, finalised a $25 million (£20.8 million) settlement in January, while X, formerly Twitter, agreed to a $10 million (£8.3 million) settlement in February.
Trump’s legal actions, filed with attorney John Coale, have collectively secured tens of millions in payouts from leading technology firms.
Court filings have shown that $22 million (£18.3 million) from the YouTube settlement will go towards projects including the restoration of the National Mall and the construction of a new White House ballroom, estimated to cost around $200 million (£166.6 million).
Coale, who now serves as Trump’s deputy special envoy to Ukraine and Belarus, has told the Wall Street Journal that Trump’s return to the White House was pivotal in reaching these settlements, arguing that without re-election, the lawsuits would have dragged on for decades.
The settlement also comes as YouTube has shifted policy, announcing earlier this month that it would reinstate creators previously banned for misinformation related to Covid-19 and the 2020 US election. In a statement, the platform said that conservative voices remain welcome and suggested that earlier suspensions were partly influenced by pressure from the Biden administration.
By agreeing to settle, YouTube joins other firms in closing long-running disputes, though questions remain over the influence of major platforms on political speech. The YouTube settlement with Trump highlights both the challenges faced by technology companies in regulating online content and the broader political stakes tied to high-profile account suspensions.
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