YouTube Agrees to Pay $22 Million Settlement to Trump Over Account Suspension

By Diafa Doubra,

Former United States President Donald Trump has reached a $22 million settlement with YouTube following a long-standing dispute over the suspension of his account on the video-sharing platform.

The settlement comes years after YouTube suspended Trump’s channel in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, citing concerns over potential incitement to violence. Trump’s legal team had accused YouTube of political bias and infringing on his right to free speech.

According to reports, the agreement marks one of the largest settlements involving a social media platform and a former public office holder. While YouTube has not officially admitted wrongdoing, the platform’s representatives stated that the decision was made to “resolve the matter amicably and focus on future content moderation policies.”

Trump, who has remained vocal about censorship on social media, hailed the outcome as a victory for “free speech and fairness.” He also reaffirmed his commitment to promoting open communication platforms as part of his political agenda ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.

The settlement is expected to reignite debates over the influence of big tech companies on political expression and the limits of content regulation in the digital space.