Donald Trump gleefully trolled YouTube after it agreed to pay $24.5 million to end a longstanding lawsuit—with most of it earmarked for the president’s monstrous White House ballroom project.
On Monday, the Google-owned video giant settled with Trump, whom it had banned from its platform for two years after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots.
Within hours of the announcement of the pay-off, Trump blasted out a Truth Social brag built from a viral tweet.
It features an AI-created picture of what appears to be a sad-looking YouTube CEO, Neal Mohan, handing over a giant novelty check to a triumphant Trump outside the White House, as press photographers capture the moment.
The caption read, “YouTube SURRENDERS!,” adding, “This MASSIVE victory proves Big Tech censorship has consequences.
“Every shadowbanned patriot deserves justice! Trump fought for free speech and WON!”
Trump’s post appeared to recycle a graphic shared by the Next News Network X account.
The settlement closes one of Trump’s post-Jan. 6 fights with social platforms.
Trump’s YouTube account, suspended in 2021 and restored in 2023, remains live.
YouTube did not admit wrongdoing and isn’t changing its policy.
Under the settlement YouTube will pay $22 million to the Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit that is raising funds for the ballroom. The remaining $2.5 million will be divided among the co-plaintiffs, including the American Conservative Union and author Naomi Wolf.
With the ballroom build in full swing, and a promise that U.S. taxpayers won’t pay a penny, the sizeable settlement has come at an opportune moment for Trump.
New renderings revealed this week show a Palladian behemoth—up to roughly 125,000 square feet with Corinthian columns, arched windows, coffered ceilings, and a blizzard of gold accents—dwarfing the executive mansion itself.
Trump has said capacity could hit 900 people after “supersizing” plans. Tree clearing on the South Lawn has already kicked off.
YouTube’s payout follows earlier deals with Meta and X, which settled Trump’s parallel suits for $25 million and $10 million, respectively.
In each case, the platforms avoided admissions of liability as Silicon Valley tech bosses continue to suck up to the president.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and YouTube for comment.
