Former President Donald Trump has secured a significant financial settlement with Google, resolving his claims of unlawful censorship following his suspension from YouTube after the January 6, 2021, events. This resolution marks the latest in a series of legal agreements Trump has reached with major technology and media corporations, many of which previously barred him from their platforms. These settlements, totaling tens of millions of dollars, underscore a pattern of financial concessions from tech giants facing persistent legal challenges from the former president, despite established legal precedents affirming their rights to content moderation.
The agreement with Google, amounting to $24.5 million, includes a substantial allocation of $22 million designated for the construction of a new ballroom within the White House. This particular allocation suggests a strategic approach to settlement, potentially aligning with Trump’s broader initiatives and legacy projects. The remaining portion of the settlement will be distributed among other plaintiffs who joined Trump in the legal action against the technology company. Google has offered no comment on the specifics of the resolution.
This latest settlement follows a trend of Trump successfully negotiating favorable terms with prominent industry players. In December, Walt Disney Co.’s ABC News agreed to a $15 million settlement to fund a future Trump presidential foundation or museum, concluding a defamation suit. Similarly, in January, Meta Platforms Inc. reached a $25 million settlement, with $22 million earmarked for a Trump library, to resolve a lawsuit concerning his suspension from Facebook after the Capitol riot.
The legal engagements extend to other key digital platforms. In February, Trump concluded his legal dispute with Twitter over its ban, with reports from The Wall Street Journal suggesting a settlement of approximately $10 million with X (formerly Twitter) following its acquisition by Elon Musk. Earlier, in July, Paramount Global announced a $16 million settlement with Trump, addressing accusations of deceptive editing of an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris during a presidential campaign. Paramount’s agreement was widely perceived as beneficial for its merger approval with Skydance Media, even though the settlement was officially unrelated to regulatory matters.
When Trump initiated legal actions against Google, Facebook, and Twitter, his stated objectives included seeking monetary damages to penalize these companies and to prevent similar bans or flagging of other users. While these platforms eventually reinstated his access, Trump had by then largely transitioned his social media presence to his own platform, Truth Social.
David Thompson earned his MBA from the Wharton School and spent five years managing multi-million-dollar portfolios at a leading asset management firm. He now applies that hands-on investment expertise to his writing, offering practical strategies on portfolio diversification, risk management, and long-term wealth building.