Key Points
Former President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against X (formerly Twitter) will be settled, according to The Wall Street Journal. The platform, owned by Elon Musk, has agreed to pay $10 million to resolve the censorship lawsuit that began in 2021.
X agreed to this payment despite the fact that, in 2021, when Trump’s account was blocked, the platform was led by Jack Dorsey. At the time, Twitter stated that Trump’s posts regarding the January 6 Capitol riot violated its policy against glorifying violence and subsequently suspended his account.
Four years ago, Trump sued Twitter, Facebook, and Google, accusing them of censoring him due to his posts about the Capitol attack.
According to sources, Trump’s lawyers considered dropping the lawsuit due to Musk’s favorable stance toward Trump. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk spent more than $200 million on Trump’s election campaign ahead of the 2024 presidential elections.
X has not yet responded to Forbes’ request for comment.
Why Was Trump Banned from Twitter?
Twitter cited two tweets from Trump as the reason for his suspension. In the first tweet, he stated that “American Patriots” would never be “disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape, or form!!!” The second tweet announced that he would not attend President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Twitter deemed these posts as potential encouragement for those who supported the January 6 attack and as an incitement to further violence during the inauguration.
Unclear Details
It remains uncertain where the $10 million settlement money will go. Last month, Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) reached a similar settlement with Trump, agreeing to pay $25 million. According to The Wall Street Journal, a significant portion of this amount might be allocated to Trump’s presidential library.
Background
X’s settlement follows Meta’s $25 million agreement to resolve Trump’s censorship lawsuit. After the January 6 riot, Meta also suspended Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. At the time, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that Trump had “used his platform to condone rather than condemn the actions of his supporters.” However, Trump’s accounts have since been reinstated across all social media platforms.
Musk and Zuckerberg have recently become closer to Trump. Musk publicly supported Trump before the election and is now serving as the head of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. This department is focused on reducing federal agencies and cutting bureaucratic inefficiencies.
Zuckerberg, meanwhile, did not formally endorse Trump before the election. However, Meta donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund. Following last year’s assassination attempt on Trump, Zuckerberg reportedly called him a “badass.”
At Trump’s inauguration in January, Musk and Zuckerberg were seated among leading technology executives in the front rows.
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