X pays $10 million to settle lawsuit with Trump
- Elon Musk's X suspended Donald Trump's account following the January 6 Capitol attack due to incitement concerns.
- Trump filed a lawsuit against X in July 2021, arguing the suspension violated his First Amendment rights.
- The recent settlement highlights the evolving relationships and disputes between prominent figures and social media companies.
In early February 2025, Elon Musk's social media platform, X, formerly known as Twitter, reached a settlement with former President Donald Trump, agreeing to pay $10 million to resolve a lawsuit tied to the suspension of Trump's account following the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack. Trump’s account was banned two days after the riots due to concerns that his posts could incite further violence. The legal battle began when Trump sued Twitter in July 2021, claiming his First Amendment rights had been violated. A federal judge dismissed the case in 2022, but Trump's legal team appealed, keeping the case active until the recent settlement. This payment comes after Trump’s attorneys negotiated a $25 million settlement with Meta, the owner of Facebook, for similar account suspension issues, highlighting ongoing disputes regarding social media moderation policies. Musk reinstated Trump's account in November 2022 after acquiring Twitter, solidifying their relationship, with Musk taking on a role in Trump's administration as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk, a known supporter of Trump, has contributed significantly to his political endeavors, further complicating the narrative around Trump and social media censorship, reflecting a broader trend of legal and financial implications involving influential tech companies.