Trump rolled YouTube into paying for his ballroom

image via The Verge

October 3, 2025, 4:52 PM

• •YouTube settled a lawsuit with Trump and allies for $24.5 million.
• •The settlement money is directed towards the construction of the White House State Ballroom.
• •The settlement is perceived by some as a political payoff.
• •Alphabet faces ongoing antitrust lawsuits.

Alphabet's YouTube paid a $24.5 million settlement to Donald Trump and allies, related to a lawsuit over alleged censorship, with the funds earmarked for the White House State Ballroom. This has raised questions about political motivations, especially given Alphabet's history of supporting Democrats and the ongoing antitrust lawsuits against Google. Critics, including a law professor, view the settlement as a political payoff, while Trump's administration, filled with Big Tech critics, still poses a threat. The donation is an effective form of ego-stroking.

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