Meta to pay $25m to settle Trump’s lawsuit over Facebook, Instagram ban

Meta has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit filed by United States President Donald Trump over the suspension of his Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Trump was banned from both platforms following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Protesters had turned out in support of Trump at the US Capitol, to overturn former President Joe Biden’s victory in the elections.

Meta banned him for at least two years, citing his posts as a catalyst for violence and a threat to public safety.

X, formerly Twitter, also barred Trump for similar reasons.

In response, Trump sued Meta and Twitter in 2022, claiming their actions constituted “illegal, unconstitutional censorship” and violated his First Amendment rights.

He also sought to overturn Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields social media companies from liability for content posted by users.

Prior to his ban, he had frequently criticised Meta as an “anti-Trump” platform.

Trump returned to Twitter in 2022 and regained access to Facebook in 2023.

In July 2024, Meta lifted the final restrictions on his accounts in the lead-up to the US presidential election.

According to The Wall Street Journal, a Meta spokesperson confirmed the $25 million settlement, out of which $22 million was allocated to Trump’s presidential library and the remaining sum covering legal fees and going to other plaintiffs who signed on to the lawsuit.

Trump’s win in November 2024 seemed to mark the beginning of a more cooperative relationship between him and Mark Zuckerberg, the owner of Meta.

After the president’s victory, Zuckerberg visited Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Florida resort.

Shortly after, Meta announced a policy shift, easing restrictions on political content across its platforms.

The company also donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund, and Zuckerberg attended the ceremony on January 20.