YouTube and parent company Alphabet have agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump over the suspension of his account following the January 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol attack.
The settlement will allocate $22 million to the Trust for the National Mall (supporting a White House ballroom project), while $2.5 million will go to other plaintiffs, such as conservative organizations and individuals.
YouTube has not admitted any fault in the agreement.
Trump’s YouTube suspension occurred in January 2021 amid concerns over content that could incite violence following the Capitol riot.
The video site removed his ability to upload new content, citing violations of its policies, before later restoring his account in 2023.
Trump filed the lawsuit in July 2021, joining similar suits he brought against Meta (Facebook’s parent) and Twitter (now X), arguing that these platforms had suppressed his voice.
Meta settled its suit with Trump earlier this year for $25 million, most of which is directed toward his presidential library fund.
In February 2025, X (formerly Twitter) agreed to a $10 million settlement.
Legal experts initially expressed skepticism about Trump’s chances, given First Amendment and platform immunity debates.
The settlement was disclosed just ahead of a scheduled October 6 court hearing in the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California.
YouTube’s suspension of Trump was based on its internal policies, but the company will not be required to change its content moderation policies under the settlement.
