YouTube, owned by Alphabet has agreed to pay $24.5 million (approximately KSh3.16 billion) to settle a lawsuit filed by the U.S. President Donald Trump over his suspension from the platform following the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots.
The showdown dates back to July 2021, when Trump sued multiple big tech firms, YouTube’s parent, Meta (then Facebook), and Twitter (now X), arguing they unlawfully silenced conservative voices by removing or limiting his account access.
While Meta and X have already settled (Meta for $25 million and X for $10 million), YouTube brings the series to a close with its latest accord.
Under the terms, $22 million will be paid to the Trust for the National Mall, which supports Trump’s plans for a White House State Ballroom.
The remaining $2.5 million will be distributed among other plaintiffs, including the American Conservative Union and author Naomi Wolf.
Importantly, YouTube has not admitted any wrongdoing and will not implement policy or product changes as part of the settlement.
Trump’s YouTube account, which had been barred from posting new videos, was restored in 2023 after more than a year of suspension.
Critics had initially viewed Trump’s claims as weak, citing First Amendment issues and the difficulty of forcing private platforms into compliance.
Yet, the settlements suggest a shifting landscape for social media accountability.
As this chapter closes, the broader debate over content moderation, deplatforming, and the power wielded by tech companies remains wide open.
