Elon Musk has agreed that X will pay Donald Trump $10 million in compensation after he was banned from the platform.
The money is to settle a lawsuit over Trump’s ban following the January 6 Capitol riot, sources told The Wall Street Journal.
Following his 2020 election loss, Trump used his Twitter account to promote baseless claims of voter fraud and urged his supporters to attend the “Save America” rally in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021.
That day, he told the crowd he would “never concede” the election.
On the morning of January 6, Trump tweeted: “Get smart Republicans. FIGHT!
“THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR COUNTRY, NEEDS THE PRESIDENCY MORE THAN EVER BEFORE – THE POWER OF THE VETO. STAY STRONG!”
He also falsely suggested that then-Vice President Mike Pence had the authority to overturn the election results. By the time rioters stormed the Capitol, Trump tweeted at 2:38PM, urging them to “stay peaceful.”
Weeks before the attack, Trump had also tweeted: “Statistically impossible to have lost the 2020 election… Be there, will be wild!”
Trump’s legal team initially filed the lawsuit against Twitter – now X – and its then-CEO Jack Dorsey in July 2021, after the platform permanently suspended Trump’s account on January 8, 2021.
Twitter cited “the risk of further incitement of violence” as the reason for the ban, per the Independent.
According to sources, Trump considered letting the lawsuit fade, particularly after Musk, a close ally, donated $250 million to support Trump’s return to the White House.
However, he ultimately decided to move forward with the settlement, despite his strong relationship with Musk, whom he appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency – a role focused on cutting federal bureaucracy and spending.
Musk acquired Twitter in October 2022 and reinstated Trump’s account the following month.
In a pre-taped interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Tuesday night, Trump expressed disappointment in the settlement amount.
“It’s very low. I was looking to get much more money than that,” Trump said, seated next to Musk during the interview.
Recommended Article
Musk, appearing visibly bewildered when Hannity raised the topic, responded: “I left it up to the lawyers and the team running Twitter.”
JUST IN: President Trump starts his interview by commenting on how he made X pay him $10M, says Elon got a "big discount."
Musk then jumped in and said he loves the president.
Trump: "I sued from long before Musk had it… He got a big discount."
Musk: "I left it up to the… pic.twitter.com/k8X1LTXJGA
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 19, 2025
The $10 million settlement makes X the second major social media company to resolve a legal dispute with Trump.
Last month, Meta paid $25 million to settle a lawsuit over Trump’s suspension from Facebook. Trump’s legal team is also pursuing a settlement with Google, a federal contractor, following YouTube’s decision to ban him in January 2021.
Musk, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg were all present at Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Trump filed lawsuits against all three companies in July 2021.
A federal judge initially dismissed Trump’s lawsuit against Twitter in May 2022, rejecting the claim that the platform acted as a “state actor” in banning him. Trump’s legal team appealed, and the case was heard by a federal appeals court in the fall of 2023.
At the time, the lawsuit was seen as part of a broader conservative effort to push back against alleged censorship by social media companies.
