Google’s YouTube will pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump over the suspension of his YouTube account in 2021. The suspension happened soon after the January 6 US Capitol attack, which led many tech companies to block Trump’s accounts. The settlement means the case is closed without YouTube admitting any wrongdoing.
Most of the money will go to the Trust for the National Mall, and the rest will support other groups like the American Conservative Union.
Where The Money Goes
According to court filings in California, $22 million from the settlement will go to the Trust for the National Mall, which works on preserving historic sites in Washington, DC.
The remaining amount will be shared among other plaintiffs, including the American Conservative Union. Google confirmed the deal but did not comment further. After the settlement, Trump took to X(formerly Twitter) to mock YouTube with an AI-generated picture.
pic.twitter.com/NNNumraCkN
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2025
This move makes Google the latest major tech firm to settle cases brought by Trump. Earlier this year, Meta Platforms (Facebook’s parent company) paid $25 million, and Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) settled for $10 million over similar lawsuits.
What It Means For Trump & Tech
The settlement does not mean YouTube admits fault; it simply ends the legal dispute. The announcement came just a week before a scheduled October 6 hearing in front of Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers in Oakland, California.
Trump has long argued that bans from social media were unfair and politically motivated. These cases also connect to his broader message about free speech and claims of censorship by big tech.
Although he is now active again on different platforms, this lawsuit was one of several he launched after being banned in 2021.
With this settlement, another one of Trump’s legal battles with tech companies is now closed, adding to the long list of disputes linked to his presidency and campaign years.
