YouTube bends, pays Trump $24.5M

Trump has scored a legal victory, this time against YouTube, which agreed to pay $24.5 million.

The lawsuit was filed by President Donald Trump in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, insurrection, after YouTube, along with several other social media platforms, suspended his account.

According to CNN, YouTube, the latest media company to settle one of the many lawsuits Trump has brought against such platforms, declined to comment on the agreement, while Trump celebrated his victory on Truth Social. «YouTube SURRENDERS!» Trump wrote on his social platform, adding: «President Trump $24.5 MILLION for illegal ban!»

Trump celebrated the settlement as a triumph for free speech, declaring «This MASSIVE victory proves Big Tech censorship has consequences» and «Trump fought for free speech and WON!», even as he faces accusations of having tried to silence late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, highlighting the contradictions at the center of his free speech crusade.

Court documents reveal the details of the settlement between the two parties: YouTube will pay $22 million to the nonprofit «Trust for the National Mall», an organization «dedicated to restoring, preserving, and elevating the National Mall, to support the construction of the White House State Ballroom,» according to the filing. According to CNN, The platform will also pay $2.5 million to settle with other plaintiffs, including the «American Conservative Union.»

Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has scored a series of legal settlements against major media and tech companies, turning courtroom battles into political victories.

Trump has pursued an aggressive legal strategy against media and tech companies in recent years, securing a series of high-profile settlements between 2024 and 2025. In March 2024, Meta agreed to pay $25 million to resolve Trump’s claims stemming from his suspension on Facebook and Instagram after January 6. Two months later, in May 2024, X (formerly Twitter) reached a $10 million settlement over his removal from the platform.

By August 2024, ABC / Disney agreed to pay $15 million and issue a clarification after anchor George Stephanopoulos incorrectly said Trump was found liable for rape. In January 2025, Paramount / CBS settled a lawsuit concerning a 60 Minutes interview edit for $16 million.

Most recently, in September 2025, YouTube settled for $24.5 million, directing the bulk of the payment to nonprofits tied to Trump’s political projects. Together, these deals totaling more than $90 million, have fueled Trump’s narrative of victory over what he calls Big Tech and mainstream media censorship, even as critics highlight the political and ethical implications of such settlements.