Meta Settles Trump’s Lawsuit Over Jan. 6 Ban for $25 Million
Meta Platforms Inc. has agreed to pay $25 million to settle Donald Trump’s lawsuit over his post-January 6 ban from Facebook and Instagram, resolving claims that the company engaged in illegal censorship.
According to Trump’s attorney, John Coale, $22 million from the settlement will go toward the presidential library, while the remaining amount will be allocated to other Facebook users who had also sued over similar bans. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone confirmed the details but declined further comment.
The settlement comes amid a warming relationship between Trump and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. In recent months, Zuckerberg has relaxed content moderation policies that conservatives had criticized. He also attended Trump’s inauguration, further signaling an improving rapport between the two.
Trump originally sued Meta (formerly Facebook), Twitter, and YouTube, arguing that their bans following the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol amounted to unfair censorship. Although all three companies eventually reversed their bans, Trump had already shifted his social media presence to his own platform, Truth Social.
John Coale stated, “I’m glad it’s over with. Meta should have paid this kind of money because they did some pretty bad things back in 2021.” He further claimed that Zuckerberg personally reached the settlement with Trump during a recent visit to Mar-a-Lago.
Despite the payout, Meta has not admitted any wrongdoing. However, Coale noted that the tech giant has “taken responsibility” for its actions, marking an end to the legal dispute.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the settlement.
