Meta Agrees to Pay Trump $25 Million to Settle Facebook, Instagram Ban Lawsuit
Meta Agrees to Pay Trump $25 Million to Settle Facebook, Instagram Ban Lawsuit
Meta has agreed to pay former U.S. President Donald Trump $25 million to settle a lawsuit he filed in 2021, alleging wrongful censorship after Facebook and Instagram suspended his accounts following the January 6 Capitol riot. The company confirmed the settlement on Wednesday.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the agreement, describing it as a significant victory for Trump in his ongoing battle against social media platforms. According to sources familiar with the deal, $22 million of the settlement will be allocated to funding Trump’s future presidential library, while the remaining amount will cover legal fees and payments to other plaintiffs in the case.
Meta has not admitted any wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
Trump had long criticized social media companies for suspending his accounts, claiming it was politically motivated. However, he has recently been engaging with tech leaders, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and X owner Elon Musk, both of whom attended his presidential inauguration last week in Washington.
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Zuckerberg, who has reportedly expressed support for Trump, has adjusted Meta’s content policies, lifting some restrictions on posts across Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp. “Meta would be restoring free expression on our platforms,” Zuckerberg said earlier this month, following a private dinner with Trump at his Florida estate in November.
The settlement comes amid broader shifts in the media landscape as companies prepare for a potential second Trump presidency, In December, ABC News paid $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Trump over comments made by a top anchor.
Meta, meanwhile, reported a 59% surge in net income, reaching $62.36 billion for the full year.
