Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk with his son X Æ A-Xii and President Trump in the Oval Office on Feb. 11, 2025. Musk has been tapped by President Donald Trump to lead federal cost-cutting efforts.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
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Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Former President Trump commented on Elon Musk’s $10 million settlement in a lawsuit brought against the social media platform now owned by Musk, calling it a “big discount.”
In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump expressed disappointment in the payout, stating that he was expecting more money.
Trump made these remarks while seated next to Musk, who appeared bewildered by the comments and mentioned leaving the decision to his legal team and Twitter executives.
Following the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, Twitter (now X) banned Trump due to concerns about potential violence. In response, Trump filed a lawsuit against the platform for alleged censorship.
The legal battle was unsuccessful, with a U.S. District Judge dismissing the case and ruling that only governments, not private companies, can violate First Amendment rights. Despite the setbacks, Trump’s legal team continued to pursue the case, even after Musk acquired Twitter and became a major supporter of Trump’s political endeavors.
Ultimately, Musk’s legal team negotiated a $10 million settlement with Trump to resolve the litigation. The agreement signaled the second tech company payout to Trump following Meta’s $25 million settlement over his suspension from Facebook and Instagram.
Trump’s lawsuit against Google for banning him from YouTube is still pending, highlighting the ongoing legal challenges surrounding social media censorship.
The deal between Musk’s X and Trump, discussed by the former president, is significant given Musk’s prominent role in the White House’s cost-cutting efforts and government efficiency initiatives.
Despite Musk’s influence in the White House, X did not provide a comment in response to NPR’s request for clarification.
After Musk acquired Twitter in 2022, he reinstated Trump’s account, showing a close relationship between the two figures. Additionally, a U.S. District Judge dismissed Trump’s free speech case against Twitter, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between private companies’ actions and government infringement on free speech.
Overall, the settlement between Musk’s X and Trump reflects the complex dynamics between technology, politics, and legal battles in the digital age.
“The amended complaint merely offers a grab-bag of allegations to the effect that some Democratic members of Congress wanted Mr. Trump, and ‘the views he espoused,’ to be banned from Twitter because such ‘content and views’ were ‘contrary to those legislators’ preferred points of view,'” wrote U.S. District Judge James Donato in his ruling on Trump’s case against Twitter, underscoring the challenges of navigating free speech issues in the modern era.
