**YouTube Pays Donald Trump $24.5 Million to Settle Lawsuit Over Channel Suspension**
*By Mudit Dube | September 30, 2025, 11:25 AM*
YouTube has agreed to pay former U.S. President Donald Trump $24.5 million, settling a lawsuit he filed in 2021. The legal action alleged that the platform wrongfully suspended his channel following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. This settlement is the latest in a series of multimillion-dollar agreements between Trump and major tech companies over decisions related to his social media accounts.
### Details of the Lawsuit
Trump’s lawsuit accused YouTube and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai of engaging in “impermissible censorship.” He argued that the platform holds “an unprecedented concentration of power, market share, and ability to dictate our nation’s public discourse.” Trump claimed that suspending his channel violated his First Amendment rights and sought damages in the trillions for what he described as censorship.
### YouTube’s Response and Channel Suspension
YouTube justified its decision to suspend Trump’s channel by citing violations of its policies against inciting violence. On January 12, 2021, the platform initially suspended the channel for seven days after Trump posted a video defending his speech to supporters before the Capitol riot as “totally appropriate.” This suspension was later extended indefinitely due to ongoing concerns regarding potential violence.
### Policy Shifts and Channel Reinstatement
In a recent policy update, YouTube announced that it would reinstate creators who were previously banned for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The company emphasized its support for diverse conservative voices on the platform.
Following a thorough review of real-world violence risks, YouTube reinstated Trump’s channel in March 2023. The company highlighted the importance of giving voters access to content from all major national candidates ahead of elections.
### Trump’s Other Settlements with Media and Tech Giants
YouTube is not the only major company to reach a settlement with Trump over account suspensions and content restrictions. Previously, ABC and CBS parent company Paramount settled with Trump while seeking Federal Communications Commission approval for an $8 billion merger with Skydance. The merger was approved shortly after the settlement.
In addition, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, settled a lawsuit with Trump in January 2025 for $25 million. Elon Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter) paid $10 million to settle another lawsuit with Trump earlier in February.
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This latest settlement underscores the ongoing tension between major social media platforms and high-profile political figures regarding content moderation and free speech on digital platforms.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/youtube-pays-24-5m-to-settle-trump-lawsuit-over-account-suspension/story