YouTube Agrees to Pay $24.5 Million to Settle with Trump

On September 29, 2025, YouTube agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit with Donald Trump, ending his 2021 legal case over his account suspension. The lawsuit accused YouTube and its parent company Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai of excessively controlling public discourse following the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. YouTube stated that Trump’s account had been suspended because he violated the platform’s policy against inciting violence.

Trump’s YouTube account was reinstated in March 2023 after he announced his bid for the presidency again. Of the settlement amount, $22 million will go to the National Plaza Trust Fund to support Trump’s $200 million ballroom construction at the White House, with the remainder distributed to other plaintiffs, including the American Conservative Union and writer Naomi Wolf. Trump’s lawyer, John Coale, emphasized that Trump’s reelection was key to reaching a series of settlements with tech companies and highlighted the broader impact on tech industry conduct.

The settlement comes after YouTube announced that creators previously banned for spreading false information about COVID-19 and the 2020 U.S. presidential election would be allowed back on the platform. YouTube stated that it celebrates conservative voices and attributed the account suspension to pressure from the Biden administration.