Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit filed by U.S. President Donald Trump over the suspension of his social media accounts following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Trump had sued Meta, formerly Facebook Inc., along with Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL), accusing them of suppressing conservative voices.
As part of the settlement, $22 million will go toward funding Trump’s presidential library, while the remainder will cover legal fees and other plaintiffs. Meta disclosed the agreement in a federal court filing in San Francisco. The lawsuit, largely inactive since late 2023, resumed discussions after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Meta has been making significant policy shifts, including ending its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in January, scrapping its U.S. fact-checking program, and easing restrictions on political discussions. The company also contributed $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund in December, a notable departure from its previous stance.
In another move aligning with Trump's circle, Meta appointed Republican strategist Joel Kaplan as chief global affairs officer and added UFC CEO Dana White, a close Trump ally, to its board.
The settlement marks a strategic shift for Meta as it seeks to improve relations with Trump, who has previously criticized its content policies and threatened regulatory action. The resolution could have broader implications for how social media platforms handle political figures and free speech disputes.