By Esther Amao

Copyright tribuneonlineng

Popular video sharing company, YouTube, has reached a $22 million settlement with United States President Donald Trump over the suspension of his account following the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

The agreement was disclosed in a court filing on Monday.

The platform, owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, is the latest tech giant to settle with Trump after he launched a series of lawsuits challenging his removal from major social media platforms.

According to the filing, the $22 million settlement will be directed through the Trust for the National Mall to support Trump’s latest White House construction project — a new State Ballroom. In addition, YouTube will pay $2.5 million to several Trump allies, including the American Conservative Union.

Trump hailed the settlement on his Truth Social platform, describing it as a “MASSIVE victory” and proof that “Big Tech censorship has consequences.”

YouTube suspended Trump’s account on January 12, 2021, citing concerns about the “ongoing potential for violence” after the Capitol riots. Facebook and Twitter also banned him at the time, accusing him of fueling unrest with false claims of election fraud.

In his lawsuit, Trump argued that his suspension was based on “vague and shifting standards” and amounted to censorship. Legal experts, however, noted that his First Amendment arguments were weak, as the U.S. Constitution prohibits government censorship, not actions by private companies.

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The settlement has drawn criticism from watchdog groups. Media Matters president Angelo Carusone described YouTube’s decision as “shameful and shortsighted,” warning it could embolden Trump’s attempts to pressure media and tech platforms.

The deal follows similar settlements between Trump and other companies. Earlier this year, Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) paid $10 million to resolve a lawsuit, while Meta agreed to a $25 million settlement in January, with $22 million earmarked for Trump’s proposed presidential library. Paramount Global also paid $16 million to settle a separate claim brought by Trump.

Meanwhile, Alphabet faces a looming trial in Virginia as the U.S. government pushes for the breakup of its advertising technology business.

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