Meta is paying Donald Trump $25 million for suspension of his accounts after January 6 riots

Tech company Meta has agreed to pay Donald Trump $25 million after it suspended his social media accounts after the January 6 riots.

Co-founded by billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, Meta owns social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

The company has now agreed to pay around $25 million to the US president to settle a 2021 lawsuit brought by Trump after his accounts were suspended following the deadly January 6 riots by his supporters on the US Capitol.

“Censorship runs rampant,” the 2021 suit against Meta claimed, “and the result is a chilling effect cast over our nation’s pressing political, medical, social, and cultural discussions.”

At the time, Zuckerberg said the risk of allowing Trump to post on their platforms “are simply too great”, after he used his accounts to spread disinformation and false claims that he won the 2020 presidential election.

According to the Wall Street Journal, $22 million of the settlement will go towards funding for Trump’s presidential library, while the rest will cover legal fees. Meta will not admit any wrongdoing.

The settlement comes just months after Chief Executive Zuckerberg flew to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Flordia for a dinner in November 2023.

According to those familiar with the discussions, it was part of an effort from Zuckerberg to mend relationships with Trump. Trump reportedly told Zuckerberg he could be imprisoned if he tried to rig the election against him.

The efforts also saw Meta donate $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund. Zuckerberg also attended the inauguration ceremony with his wife Priscilla Chan.

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