X has consented to a payment in the vicinity of $10 million to resolve a lawsuit initiated by President Trump concerning the suspension of his account on the social media platform in 2021.
The company, previously known as Twitter, removed Mr. Trump from its platform following the events of the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, citing his provocative posts and asserting that they could incite further violence. In response, Mr. Trump filed a lawsuit, alleging that Twitter and other technology companies that suspended his accounts had unjustly censored him.
Elon Musk, the current owner of X and a close advisor to the president, reinstated Mr. Trump’s account shortly after acquiring the company in 2022. Mr. Musk has publicly supported Mr. Trump, contributing over $250 million to his campaign, and is currently overseeing a government cost-reduction initiative known as the Department of Government Efficiency.
This settlement solidifies the connection between Mr. Musk and Mr. Trump. While the specifics of the agreement were not disclosed in court documents, both X and Mr. Trump informed the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday of their decision to dismiss the lawsuit. According to a court filing, both parties have agreed to bear their own expenses.
The settlement amount was initially disclosed by The Wall Street Journal. A representative for X did not provide a response to a request for comment. It remains unclear which entity will receive the funds.
Mr. Trump initiated legal action against Twitter, Facebook, and Google, the parent company of YouTube, following the suspension of his accounts in the aftermath of the Capitol attack. In the wake of the riot, Mr. Trump utilized his Twitter account to commend his supporters, referring to them as “patriots.”
Additionally, Mr. Trump announced that he would not be attending the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden Jr., a decision that Twitter’s safety teams indicated at the time could have prompted his supporters to instigate another attack during the event. Twitter stated that it suspended Mr. Trump’s account “due to the risk of further incitement of violence.”
Last month, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, reached a settlement in its lawsuit, agreeing to pay the president $25 million. In recent months, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s chief executive, has also engaged with Mr. Trump, contributing to his inauguration fund and implementing significant changes to Meta’s policies to permit a broader range of speech across the company’s applications.
In December, ABC News reached an agreement to pay $15 million to resolve a defamation lawsuit filed by Mr. Trump. The network announced that the funds would be donated to Mr. Trump’s forthcoming presidential foundation and museum.
Similarly, Meta has consented to comparable terms in its settlement with Mr. Trump. Approximately $22 million will be allocated to support Mr. Trump’s presidential library, while the remaining $3 million will be designated for Mr. Trump’s legal expenses and for other plaintiffs involved in the lawsuit.
