Donald Trump, already a billionaire, is set to receive a huge $24.5 million settlement from YouTube after suing the platform over his account suspension following the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Out of this amount, $22 million will go into a nonprofit trust called the Trust for the National Mall, which supports a $200 million project to build a new ballroom for the White House.
The remaining $2.5 million will be shared among other plaintiffs like the American Conservative Union and author Naomi Wolf. Trump has already revealed his plans for the money, mainly to support the construction of the White House ballroom, a project he has been promoting heavily.
YouTube suspended Trump’s account in the aftermath of the Capitol riot due to concerns about his videos inciting further violence. The suspension was lifted in March 2023, allowing Trump to return to the platform before settling the lawsuit.
This settlement joins others made earlier this year by major companies like Meta and X, which also paid Trump millions after suspending his social media accounts.
