Meta to pay $25M settlement in Trump social media ban case

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Meta Platforms reached a settlement to pay $25 million to US President Donald Trump over the suspension of his social media accounts following the Jan. 6, 2021 attacks on the US Capitol.

The social media giant will pay $22 million toward Trump's presidential library and $3 million in legal fees to resolve the lawsuit challenging his Facebook and Instagram account suspensions after the Jan. 6 events, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Trump's lawsuit claimed that Meta had violated his rights by suspending his accounts, alleging that the company colluded with Democratic lawmakers to silence him.

The agreement does not require the company to admit any wrongdoing in response to Trump's allegations of censorship and rights violations.

The deal follows Meta's recent policy changes, including the termination of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs and modifications to its fact-checking procedures.

Meta also made a $1 million donation to Trump’s inaugural committee, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg was among several billionaires present during his swearing-in.