Donald Trump has reached a $25 million settlement with Meta, following his suspension from Facebook in 2021 after the January 6 riot. The funds will largely support Trump's presidential library.
Donald Trump has reached a settlement agreement with Meta, in which the company will pay $25 million to resolve a lawsuit filed against them after his suspension from Facebook in 2021. This suspension followed the January 6 riot, which led to widespread controversy and legal actions.
The settlement, which was confirmed by Trump's attorney John Coale, was signed on Wednesday in the Oval Office. A significant portion of the $25 million is expected to be allocated to Trump’s presidential library. The news first emerged from The Wall Street Journal, coinciding with Meta’s quarterly earnings report, which was delayed.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, refrained from addressing the specifics of the settlement during the earnings call. However, he made a broader comment about the company’s future relationship with governments, stating that the current US administration was supportive of American tech firms and their global standing. He expressed optimism about the opportunities for progress and innovation this could bring.
This settlement follows a series of actions by Meta to mend its relationship with Trump. Notably, the company had previously faced threats from Trump, who had expressed intentions of having Zuckerberg jailed. Meta’s connections to Trump extend beyond this legal dispute, with the company donating $1 million to his inauguration fund following his election victory.
In addition to Meta, Trump has pursued legal action against other tech firms. This includes lawsuits against Twitter, now X, and YouTube, accusing them of censorship. While a federal judge dismissed his case against Twitter in 2022, his suit against YouTube was “administratively closed” in 2023. Similarly, ABC News reached a $15 million settlement with Trump over a defamation lawsuit, with the funds also directed towards his library.
This settlement underscores the ongoing tensions between political figures and tech companies, as both sides continue to navigate issues of free speech, censorship, and corporate influence in the public sphere.
Read next
04:14
U.S. President Donald Trump has released a trove of documents related to the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy, fulfilling a campaign promise to provide greater transparency on the historic event.
04:04
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that military aid to Ukraine was not discussed during his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite the Kremlin stating that Putin had called for an end to U.S. support for Kyiv.
00:05
U.S. President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Tuesday to comment on his phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling it a “very good and productive one” and claiming progress toward ending the war in Ukraine.
22:12
U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts has publicly rejected President Donald Trump’s demand to impeach a federal judge, delivering a rare rebuke that highlights growing tensions between the White House and the judiciary.
21:00
USAID
The suspension of nearly all USAID funding by the Trump administration is shuttering vital humanitarian and anti-gang programs in Colombia’s poorest regions, jeopardizing the implementation of the country’s 2016 peace deal with leftist FARC rebels.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment