Meta has agreed to pay former U.S. President Donald Trump $25 million to settle a lawsuit he filed in 2021. Trump sued the company after Facebook and Instagram suspended his accounts following the U.S. Capitol riot.
The Wall Street Journal reported that $22 million of the settlement will go toward funding Trump’s future presidential library, while the rest will cover legal fees and payments to other plaintiffs.
Meta will not admit wrongdoing as part of the agreement. A company spokesperson confirmed the settlement but did not provide further details.
Trump had criticized social media platforms for banning his accounts after the January 6, 2021, riot. However, he has recently strengthened ties with tech leaders, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and X owner Elon Musk.
Zuckerberg has adjusted Meta’s policies, allowing more content on its platforms. He also announced a rollback of fact-checking operations, stating that Meta aims to support free expression.
This settlement follows a $15 million payment by ABC News in December to resolve a defamation lawsuit filed by Trump over on-air comments made about him.
On the same day, Meta reported a 59% increase in net income, reaching $62.36 billion for the year.
