Meta announced on Wednesday that it has reached a $25 million settlement with former President Donald Trump over the suspension of his social media accounts following the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Trump had filed lawsuits against Twitter (now X), Facebook (now Meta), and Google, along with their CEOs, in July 2021, accusing them of unfairly silencing conservative voices.
Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended after his supporters stormed the US Capitol, a violent act fueled by his false claims of election fraud. Of the settlement amount, $22 million will be allocated to Trump’s presidential library fund, with the remainder covering legal fees and compensating other plaintiffs involved in the case. Meta filed the settlement notice in a San Francisco federal court.
The lawsuit discussions, which had been stagnant since the fall of 2023, gained momentum after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg dined with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in November, according to the Wall Street Journal. Meta has been working to repair its relationship with Trump, who has frequently criticised its content policies and previously threatened Zuckerberg with imprisonment.
In a shift from its previous stance, Meta contributed $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund in December and made several policy changes. The company ended its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in January, dismantled its U.S. fact-checking efforts, and relaxed restrictions on sensitive topics like immigration and gender identity. Additionally, Meta appointed prominent Republican Joel Kaplan as its global affairs chief and added UFC CEO Dana White, a close Trump ally, to its board.