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Meta agrees to pay $25 million to settle lawsuit filed by Trump in 2021

Of the total amount agreed, $22 million will go to a presidential library fund.

Meta's logo/ Julien De Rosa.AFP

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Meta Platforms reached$25 million settlement to resolve the lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump in 2021 after the social media platform suspended his accounts following events on Jan. 6, 2021, on Capitol Hill.

According to The Wall Street Journal, sources close to the settlement revealed that Trump signed the document this Wednesday in the Oval Office. Of the total amount agreed, $22 million will go to a Trump presidential library fund, while the rest will be used to cover legal fees and compensate other plaintiffs who joined the cause. Despite the settlement, Meta has not admitted any liability in connection with the lawsuit, according to sources consulted.

Beginning of the negotiation

The negotiations were virtually stalled since the end of 2023, when they gained momentum following a meeting between Trump and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, in November of the same year. The meeting occurred at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, where the president raised the lawsuit. This dinner was part of Zuckerberg and Meta's efforts to improve their relationship with Trump and his administration. Meta also donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund during this process.

The context of the lawsuit

Trump's lawsuit against Meta was part of a series of legal actions he took against major social media platforms such as X and YouTube due to the suspension of their accounts for Trump's posts before and during Capitol Hill events. Trump alleged that these platforms violated his First Amendment right to free speech through unlawful and unconstitutional censorship. In 2022, his access to X was restored, and in 2023, he returned to Youtube.

The impact and evolution of the case

Despite the initial difficulties and the low probability of success that the case presented, the final settlement with Meta demonstrates the ability of Trump's legal team to keep the litigation in place for years.

In addition, Trump settled another defamation lawsuit against ABC News, resulting in a $15 million payout to his presidential library, which could signal a shift in how tech companies handle legal disputes with President Trump.

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