Meta to Pay $25 Million to Settle Trump Lawsuit Over Social Media Ban
Meta has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit filed by former U.S. President Donald Trump over the suspension of his Facebook and Instagram accounts. The legal battle stemmed from Meta’s decision to ban Trump following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
The social media giant had cited Trump’s posts as a catalyst for violence and a threat to public safety, enforcing a two-year suspension from its platforms. X, formerly known as Twitter, also barred Trump at the time for similar reasons.
In response, Trump sued Meta and Twitter in 2022, claiming the bans amounted to “illegal, unconstitutional censorship” and violated his First Amendment rights. He also challenged Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects social media companies from liability for content posted by users.
Despite his initial ban, Trump returned to Twitter (now X) in 2022 and regained access to Facebook in 2023. By July 2024, Meta had fully lifted all restrictions on his accounts as the U.S. presidential election drew closer.
According to The Wall Street Journal, a Meta spokesperson confirmed the settlement details, revealing that $22 million of the $25 million sum would be allocated to Trump’s presidential library. The remaining amount would cover legal fees and payments to other plaintiffs who joined the lawsuit.
Trump’s victory in the November 2024 election appeared to usher in a more cooperative relationship between him and Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. Following Trump’s win, Zuckerberg was seen visiting Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Florida estate. Shortly thereafter, Meta announced a policy shift, loosening restrictions on political content across its platforms.
In another significant move, Meta donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund, and Zuckerberg attended the presidential inauguration ceremony on January 20.
