Meta to pay $25M to Trump in settlement agreement

Jan 29

Kennedy Felton Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer

By Kennedy Felton (Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer), Jake Larsen (Video Editor)

Former President Donald Trump and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, have settled a lawsuit. The agreement requires Meta to pay Trump $25 million, according to The Wall Street Journal.

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The lawsuit stemmed from Meta’s decision to suspend Trump’s accounts for nearly two years. The ban followed the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

On that day, Trump posted a video on social media, reiterating claims of election fraud. He also appeared to commend the rioters.

Meta removed the video and initially imposed a temporary suspension. The company later extended the ban to two years, citing concerns about potential violence.

As part of the settlement, Meta will pay Trump $25 million. According to The Wall Street Journal, $22 million will go toward a fund for Trump’s presidential library.

The settlement also marks a shift in Trump’s relationship with Meta and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg.

Tensions date back to 2016 when Trump repeatedly accused Facebook of suppressing conservative voices. Despite this, signs of reconciliation emerged in 2019. Zuckerberg met with Trump at the White House for a private dinner that year.

In December, Meta donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund. The donation was widely viewed as an effort to mend relations.

Zuckerberg further signaled a thaw in tensions by meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after the election. He also attended Trump’s inauguration earlier this month.

Sources familiar with the agreement told The Wall Street Journal that Trump is expected to sign the settlement in the Oval Office on Wednesday.

Tags: Donald Trump, Facebook, inauguration, Instagram, Jan. 6, Mar-a-Lago, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Settlements, Social Media

[KENNEDY FELTON]

President Trump and Meta—the parent company of Facebook and Instagram—have officially settled a lawsuit in a deal that will require the tech giant to pay him 25 million dollars.

This comes after Meta suspended Trump’s accounts for nearly two years following the January 6th Capitol riot. On that day, Trump posted a video on social media where he reiterated claims of election fraud and appeared to commend the rioters. Meta removed the video and initially imposed a temporary ban—which was later extended to two years—citing the risk of further violence.

As part of the settlement, Meta will pay Trump the 25 million, with 22 million to go toward his presidential library, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The settlement marks a shift in Trump’s relationship with Meta and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. Tensions date back to 2016, when Trump repeatedly accused Facebook of suppressing conservative voices.

But signs of reconciliation began in 2019, when Zuckerberg met with Trump at the White House for a private dinner. More recently, Meta donated 1 million dollars to Trump’s inaugural fund last December—a move seen as a gesture to mend relations.

Zuckerberg even met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after the election and attended his inauguration earlier this month.

According to sources familiar with the agreement, they tell the Wall Street Journal Trump is expected to sign the settlement in the Oval Office on Wednesday.

Meta to pay $25M to Trump in settlement agreement

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