Trump Strikes Settlement with Meta: A $25 Million Deal with Social Media Giant
In a significant development, former President Donald Trump has reached a settlement with the tech giant Meta, agreeing to a payment of $25 million after his lawsuit against the company for preventing his access to their social media platforms. The lawsuit was filed in 2021 following the Capitol assault by his supporters, which he participated in inciting.
According to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, of the total settlement, $22 million will be allocated to fund Trump's presidential library, while the remaining amount will cover legal expenses and compensate other individuals involved in the suit. This deal comes amidst a notable softening of relations between Trump and Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who has seemingly shifted his narrative to align more closely with the former president's views on freedom of speech—a topic that has been a focal point of contention in recent years.
The backdrop of the lawsuit stems from Meta's decision to suspend Trump’s accounts on Facebook and Instagram following the events of January 6, 2021. On that day, Trump urged his supporters to disrupt the certification of Democratic President Joe Biden’s electoral victory—a move that led to widespread violence and chaos at the Capitol. In response, major social media platforms, including Twitter (now X), took similar actions to restrict Trump’s presence online.
Recent meetings between Zuckerberg and Trump have signaled a thaw in what had been a previously adversarial relationship. Sources confirm that their discussions intensified after a November visit from Zuckerberg to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where Trump reportedly indicated the need to resolve the lawsuit to reintegrate into his social circle. In early January, Zuckerberg revisited Mar-a-Lago for a day of mediation—the meetings reportedly disrupted by Trump’s legal obligations in New York concerning his criminal case.
This agreement closely mirrors a previous settlement Trump reached with ABC News for $15 million over defamation claims. Such settlements reflect a broader trend of former President Trump leveraging his legal battles into financial opportunities, particularly aimed at bolstering his presidential aspirations.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, the implications of this settlement extend beyond financial figures, also provoking discussions about the role of social media in shaping public discourse and the increasingly blurred lines between politics and tech. The fallout from this agreement will likely resonate through the upcoming election cycle and influence how social media platforms navigate content moderation related to political figures.
Related Sources: