YouTube has agreed to pay USD $24.5 million (approximately $37 million) to settle President Donald Trump’s 2021 lawsuit over his account suspension following the January 6 Capitol riot, with $33 million directed toward constructing a new White House ballroom.

The Alphabet-owned platform becomes the last major social media company to settle with Trump, following Meta’s $37.5 million and X’s $15 million settlements earlier this year.

Of the $37 million settlement:

  • $33 million goes to the Trust for the National Mall for ballroom construction
  • $3.75 million distributed to other plaintiffs, including the American Conservative Union

Trump filed the lawsuit in July 2021, alleging YouTube unlawfully silenced conservative viewpoints when it suspended his account on January 12, 2021, six days after the Capitol riot.

The account remained suspended for nearly two years before reinstatement on March 17, 2023, months after Trump launched his 2024 presidential campaign.

The settlement funds will support the construction of a privately-funded, 90,000-square-foot “White House State Ballroom” announced in July.

The $300 million project features:

  • Location in the East Wing
  • Capacity for 650 people
  • Expected completion before Trump’s term ends in early 2029

John Coale, Trump’s personal attorney, told The New York Post that Trump insisted settlement funds go toward the ballroom construction, which YouTube accepted without objection.

“He wanted it. They said, ‘Great.’ So everybody was happy with that,” Coale said.

The YouTube settlement completes Trump’s legal actions against major platforms over Capitol riot-related suspensions:

  • Meta: USD $25 million ($37.5 million)
  • YouTube: USD $24.5 million ($37 million)
  • X (formerly Twitter): USD $10 million ($15 million)
  • Total settlements: USD $59.5 million ($89.5 million)

Coale attributed the settlement timing to Trump’s election victory, stating it “had a lot to do with it” after years of litigation.

He noted “some good headway” was made regarding platform behaviour changes.

YouTube’s 2023 reinstatement statement from VP of Public Policy Leslie Miller cited balancing “real-world violence” risks against “the importance of preserving the opportunity for voters to hear equally from major national candidates.”

Google signalled last week it would reinstate YouTube accounts banned during the Biden administration over COVID-19 “misinformation,” suggesting broader policy shifts following the settlements.

The lawsuit alleged First Amendment violations, though private companies aren’t typically bound by constitutional free speech requirements.

The settlement avoids a court ruling on these constitutional questions while providing Trump with both monetary compensation and platform restoration.

YouTube did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the settlement terms or policy implications.