NEW YORK: YouTube has agreed to pay $22 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump after it suspended his account over the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, according to a court document released Monday.
The online video platform, a Google subsidiary, is the latest Big Tech firm to settle with Trump after he went to court in July 2021 over his suspension.
Major platforms removed Trump at the time due to concerns he would promote further violence with bogus claims that voter fraud caused his loss to former president Joe Biden in 2020.
The 79-year-old Republican took social media companies and YouTube to court, claiming he was wrongfully censored.
The settlement will go toward Trump’s latest construction project at the White House, through a nonprofit called Trust for the National Mall, which is “dedicated to restoring, preserving, and elevating the National Mall, to support the construction of the White House State Ballroom,” per the filing.
Trump’s posting privileges were curbed after more than 140 police officers were injured in hours of clashes with pro-Trump rioters wielding flagpoles, baseball bats, hockey sticks and other makeshift weapons, along with Tasers and canisters of bear spray.
In February, Elon Musk’s X settled for about $10 million, in a lawsuit against the company and its former chief executive Jack Dorsey.
In January, days after Trump’s inauguration, Meta agreed to pay $25 million to settle the 79-year-old Republican’s complaint, with $22 million of the payment going toward funding Trump’s future presidential library.
Parent company Alphabet reported the online video platform’s ad sales alone accounted for more than $36 billion in revenue in 2024, per its 2025 annual report filed to the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
YouTube to pay $22 million in settlement with Trump
https://arab.news/4umc8
YouTube to pay $22 million in settlement with Trump
- The settlement will go toward Trump’s latest construction project at the White House
University of Hong Kong hosts the first Saudi Economic Forum to boost China–Saudi ties
- The high-level event served as a new platform for bilateral dialogue and cross-sector collaboration
RIYADH: The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has hosted the first-ever Saudi Economic Forum in Riyadh, bringing together nearly 100 senior officials, academics, and business leaders to deepen cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia in education, innovation, and economic growth.
Held under the theme “Enhancing the Global Competitiveness of Chinese and Saudi Institutions,” the forum marked a significant milestone in advancing strategic alignment between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi Vision 2030.
The high-level event served as a new platform for bilateral dialogue and cross-sector collaboration, with participants exploring joint opportunities in investment, technology, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence.
Professor Hongbin Cai, dean of the faculty of business and economics at HKU, said the university aspires to become a “knowledge bridge” between the two nations, leveraging its global standing and extensive international networks. He noted that educational collaboration would be a cornerstone of the Saudi–Chinese partnership.
Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Deputy Minister of Investment, Fahad Al-Hashem, emphasized the depth of the China–Saudi partnership, noting that bilateral trade now exceeds $150 billion, with a growth rate of around 30 percent annually.
He reaffirmed the Kingdom’s openness to partnerships with China’s leading universities and technology companies, particularly in future-focused sectors aligned with Vision 2030, including education, digital transformation, AI, and clean energy.
The forum featured panel discussions on cross-border education, global city development, and technology transfer, with experts stressing the importance of joint ventures in the digital economy and smart infrastructure.
Participants said Saudi Arabia could benefit from China’s successful experiences in energy transition, infrastructure modernization, and innovation ecosystems as it builds globally competitive cities and institutions.
The Saudi Economic Forum concluded with calls for sustained academic and corporate partnerships to enhance institutional excellence and global competitiveness. Organizers said the initiative will continue to facilitate knowledge exchange and support national transformation goals in both countries, namely in the fields of technology and innovation.
