Meta to pay Trump $25 million to settle censorship lawsuit – media

Facebook’s parent company, Meta Platforms, has reportedly agreed to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump, who accused the company of censorship after it suspended his Facebook and Instagram accounts in 2021.

The case was part of Trump’s broader legal efforts against major social media companies after they banned him in the wake of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. The settlement includes $22 million allocated to Trump’s presidential library fund, with the remaining amount covering legal fees and compensating other plaintiffs, the Wall Street Journal first reported on Wednesday.

Meta has not issued a public statement detailing the terms, but sources familiar with the settlement confirmed the resolution to multiple US media outlets. While the company has not admitted any wrongdoing, it reportedly decided to settle after prolonged litigation and discussions that intensified following a meeting between CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November 2024.

As part of its effort to mend relations with Trump, Meta discontinued its controversial third-party fact-checking program in the US earlier this month. In a video address, Zuckerberg acknowledged that the services had been “too politically biased” and “have destroyed more trust than they’ve created.”

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