YouTube settled their lawsuit against Donald Trump for $24.5 million in total — the last of the big three social media companies, alongside Meta and Twitter, to strike a deal with the president. This concerning pattern has sparked an online debate, with many now likening the White House’s methods to ‘mafioso’ tactics, especially as the YouTube settlement finally revealed what Trump is doing with all this money.
It’s been increasingly clear that Trump’s second term has been filled with moments of vindictiveness — and perhaps even overreach. ABC’s recent pushback in the Jimmy Kimmel saga showed that some companies are beginning to resist the president’s threats.
One industry still lagging behind, however, is tech. From making dubious claims about investments to letting Trump dictate their hirings, big tech has been firmly under his thumb throughout his final term.
Following Jan. 6, 2021, Trump was banned from a myriad of social media platforms. At the time, CEOs cited incitement, though many MAGA faithfuls argued it was censorship. The debate dragged on until Elon Musk bought Twitter, campaigned with Trump, and ultimately won the 2024 election. Since then, tech titans have been closely aligned with Trump, and when he eventually filed his lawsuits, settlements quickly followed: Meta paid $25 million, Twitter (now X) paid $10 million, and now YouTube has paid $24.5 million.
Yet a CNN report revealed that these companies actually had a strong case. Courts have repeatedly ruled that social media platforms can run their businesses as they see fit.
What makes the YouTube settlement particularly revealing is how Trump arranged to receive the payout. Reportedly, $22 million will go to a nonprofit called Trust for the National Mall, with funds “dedicated to restoring, preserving, and elevating the National Mall, to support the construction of the White House State Ballroom.” The remaining $2.5 million will be divided among other conservative plaintiffs.
Trump had long championed the super-sized ballroom as a major White House upgrade, with an estimated $200 million budget. Initially, observers wondered how he would fund such a project. Trump assured the public that donors would cover it. Few realized that would also include settlement fees.
He still has another troubled lawsuit against The New York Times, which was dismissed for being too “unfocused.” Trump’s lawyers now have a limited window to refile the case in a way the judge deems acceptable. The president is seeking $15 billion in that case, and it remains to be seen whether the prestigious publication will also choose to settle.
Online, some users have compared his approach to a mafia boss shaking down companies. Another inadvertently noted that since the start of his second term, Trump has used this tactic to amass $100 million in settlements — already halfway to his ballroom goal.
The mafia boss shakes down another Company
— alain benatar (@alainbenatar) September 29, 2025
Perhaps his latest clash with Microsoft, where he forbade the company from hiring who they want, could mark the final straw for big tech. But perhaps not. This, too, might just end in another “unfocused” lawsuit — and another multimillion-dollar settlement deposited straight into Trump’s ballroom kitty.
