U.S. President Donald Trump has reached a settlement with X, formerly known as Twitter, ending his long-running legal battle over his suspension following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Trump had sued the platform after his ban, arguing that it violated his free speech rights.
Although a federal judge dismissed the case in 2022, his legal team pursued appeals. The dispute effectively ended when Elon Musk, after acquiring Twitter, reinstated Trump's account. With both parties agreeing to dismiss the case, the settlement remains confidential, marking the conclusion of Trump's legal fight against the platform.
The decision to drop the lawsuit was made by simply filing it with a court, and they have also shared that both sides will pay their costs. The agreement itself is kept confidential and neither X nor the representatives of Trump have clarified things further. The move took place after Musk took over Twitter and thus, as a result, Trump’s account got a new life. This was also the period when other social media platforms like Facebook, which changed their bans earlier, also decided to revoke their bans on Trump. Even though that may be the case, Trump would rather post messages on his platform, the Truth Social only.
A court filing was sufficient enough for both sides to indicate that they had gotten over this issue and therefore, ended the proceedings. Donald Trump's attorneys have been silent about the settlement, while X, that is, Elon Musk's company, neither did not make particular remarks about it.
In addition to Trump's claim against X, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, was also sued over Trump's similar suspensions. In January, Meta agreed to pay a $25 million fine to conclude the lawsuit arising from Trump's platform ban. The company had gotten rid of Trump's accounts amid the Capitol riot, claiming that he had violated its policies.
Trump's social media that he has put into action has left a lasting impact on the platforms, with his devoted backers often gathering to support him. His legal problems regarding the social media bans have brought to light the ongoing debate about the tech companies' responsibility to regulate political speech. Even though Trump's account was reinstated on X, his activity on the platform is still very limited, with Truth Social being the focus for most of the time.
Even though his accounts were re-established on the major social media platforms, Trump has still been leaning on Truth Social, his very own platform instead. Trump complained about the mainstream social media platforms, accusing them of being unfair and subjective. Because of this, he has been in close contact with his supporters via Truth Social, where he often posts the most recent updates and statements.
Trump’s posts are still active on Truth Social even though other main websites, such as X, have had fewer of his comments lately. His account of Twitter now stands to look the same as before it went down. The former president’s plan is part of a broader push for him to have his online area, which will be in contrast with these big social media companies. In the end, other politicians and public figures may decide to change their social media strategies accordingly.